NOVEL NEXT Chapter 20: Amplitude Sphere
Marcus sat in his chair, bending it back just enough for his legs to comfortably sit on his desk. He invited the two to sit, as they were both shy, but for different reasons. They both sat, Nova, getting comfortable, as Adam sat stiffly up.
"I have to congratulate you," Marcus said to Nova. "You almost defeated an awakened individual. I have to say that's pretty fucking rad. I mean, you don't see it every day someone stepping up for someone, especially since the boy's father is a very wealthy and powerful man, but still beneath me."
"I do what my gut tells me," Nova shot at him immediately. "He was harassing Adam and that receptionist too much. And I just couldn't stand why a mortal would do such a thing."
Marcus chuckled at him, saying "mortal" as if Nova were some old wise guy from some distant realm. "'Mortal,' is such a funny word. It makes you sound old."
"I'm old," Nova said honestly.
Marcus laughed harder as if Nova was joking. "You're so funny. I like you." Then he turned to Adam. "So, I see you getting bullied whenever you come with those punks. Why do you even still hang out with them? I mean, they're a bad crowd."
Adam said furiously, crying almost: "I-It's not a-as easy a-as I-it sounds."
"Life isn't easy, but you grow up and deal with it. You don't get a choice. So, I suggest you get your head in the game; otherwise, you will be stranded, being their pet, until they abandon you, and you have nothing else left but guilt that will drive you insane, until you kill yourself. So, what will it be?"
Adam didn't respond. He didn't know how to respond. He agreed with Marcus, but he also couldn't give up on his mom, who was his everything. He couldn't abandon her. He wasn't strong, by any means. He wasn't even awakened to try to stand up against his bullies. He was just there, taking their shit, and there was nothing he could do about it.
"Are you worried that you're not awakened, so you think that it automatically puts you beneath them. That you aren't strong enough to stand up for yourself. Well, let me give you a piece of advice," Marcus looked at Nova, using him as an example. "This boy here stood up to them and nearly defeated them. If he could do it, you could too. It's all about determination and ambition. Something that you currently lack."
Adam shifted his face towards his side so that he could let his tears run free. The honest stung him too close to the heart, for his comfort. He just didn't know how to improve or do something about the bullying.
"Come with me to the Amplitude Sphere. I want to test how likely you are to awaken. It will determine if you have a future at this guild or not, or if the tournament is even worth it."
Marcus got up, Nova followed him, and Adam, wiping his tears, got up as well. He knew that the sphere could determine his life; he needed something, anything from the sphere, even if it read only a fifty percent chance of awakening. He would take those odds and add his curve to it, like an AP exam, to get the high score.
They followed Marcus towards the elevator again, stepping in. The elevator closed, Marcus pressing the twentieth-floor option. The elevator chimed as it descended, slowly, but surely. After a minute, it arrived at its destination, opening up its mouth, releasing three wild beasts into the wilderness.
They walked down the hallway, with people on each side lined up for a cubicle, to test how much more potential they had. But the Amplitude Sphere they were going to be a private one, designed only for Marcus. Specifically for Marcus.
They stepped into the room, which was covered in white marble, with a blue ball in the center that calculated the amount of potential in someone to awaken. All you had to do was touch the sphere, and it would calculate, showing you a number in the sphere, from one to a hundred.
Adam decided to go first since he did not expect himself, so he just wanted to get the test over with. He stepped forward, walking towards the ball with no anticipation, like a party pooper. He laced his hands on the sphere, gently, yet firmly touching it.
The sphere sparked with lightning inside, then after a brief moment, answered. It was a very unexpected answer, something that made Adam nervous, but more than happy. Marcus was bamboozled in excited, and Nova was shocked to say the least.
A number spared in the sphere reading: 98, which meant that Adam had a ninety-eight percent potential to awaken, and it also meant that his ability would be better than that of others. It will be a far more unique ability compared to earth manipulation.
Then Nova stepped up, congratulating Adam, patting him on the shoulder, and then touched the sphere. Nothing sparked in the sphere, which surprised Marcus, alerting him that the sphere may have been malfunctioning. As Nova was about to speak, the sphere exploded into pieces, all over the room.
The piece all turned to ash, vanishing from existence, leaving everyone in the room confused. Nova thought he was in trouble, but it was just the thought. There was a slight grin on Marcus's face, as if he were going to make use of Adam and Nova as toys in his little devilish plan.
"Well, I have to say, I'm fairly impressed. Did you know no one has ever scored higher than ninety-five percent?" he said, looking at Adam before shifting his gaze to Nova. "And you, you shattered my sphere like it was a piece of cake, which makes me think your potential is so immense it's almost impossible to digest."
Adam, for the first time, looked happy; he wasn't crying, just smiling as if realizing that there was much more lore for him to fulfill in his lifetime than he had originally thought. Nova was excited as this meant he could finally live out his dream in the mortal realm, and Marcus looked at them with a hint of greed. Of course, he was just being childish, but it was still creepy.