"—then you," Marius finished, his eyes locking with Atlas's. "The burden passes to you."
The golden containment field pulsed around them, compressing Marius into an increasingly stable form. Sarah's energy signature synchronized perfectly with Atlas's, their combined power creating something neither could have achieved alone.
"I won't become what you are," Atlas growled, tightening his grip on the void-dagger.
"You already have the potential," Marius replied, his voice steady despite his deteriorating condition. "The golden light, the connection to the void through this weapon—you're perfectly positioned to maintain balance."
Sarah's scientific mind raced ahead, analyzing the implications. "He's talking about quantum equilibrium. If we eliminate his merged state—"
"The energies seek a
