The training room was silent except for Marcus's ragged breathing.
He stood in the center of the room, his body trembling with exhaustion, his mind reeling from the effort of controlling the dark energy. The past weeks had been brutal—endless hours of practice, of failure, of pushing himself to the breaking point and beyond.
But finally, he was beginning to understand.
"It's like a language," Marcus said, his voice hoarse. "A language I'm only beginning to learn."
Victor nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. "That's exactly what it is. The dark energy is ancient, older than humanity. It communicates in ways we can't fully comprehend. But you're starting to understand its patterns."
Marcus closed his eyes, focusing on the connection. The dark energy was there, pulsing in the backgr
