Resonance Unbound

Ezra's consciousness stirred, his eyes fluttering open as he slowly emerged from the suffocating haze of exhaustion.

The world around him felt distant and distorted, like he was submerged in water, muffled and heavy. His limbs refused to cooperate, his mind sluggish and unsteady.

The faint crackle of a dying fire reached his ears, accompanied by a sharp, stinging ache in his muscles. He blinked, trying to focus, his surroundings a blur of shadow and dim orange light.

Then, without warning, a sharp poke to his ribs jolted him fully awake.

"Gah!" Ezra gasped, his eyes snapping open as he instinctively tried to shield himself. His chest heaved as he blinked rapidly, his vision finally clearing enough to see the figure standing over him.Shirley.

The sentinel loomed above him, his tall frame shadowed by the flickering embers of the fire. His arms were crossed over his chest, his stance rigid and imposing.

Shirley's narrowed eyes burned with a mixture of fury and something else Ezra couldn't quite place—concern, maybe?"You've got some explaining to do, kid," Shirley growled, his voice low and rough, cutting through the silence like a blade.

Ezra blinked, his mind struggling to catch up.

"Huh…?" he croaked, his throat dry and voice hoarse.The single word escaped his lips before the memories came rushing back—too fast, too vivid.

The monstrous bird-like creature, the fight, Shirley collapsing in a pool of blood, and the strange light he had summoned. His power.

"I…" Ezra started, his voice cracking. He tried to sit up, but his body screamed in protest, every muscle aching as though he'd been trampled.

He winced, the effort leaving him trembling and lightheaded.Shirley didn't budge, his glare sharp and unwavering. "What the hell were you thinking, messing with resonance like that?" he demanded, his voice thick with anger.

Resonance ?

The word stuck in Ezra's mind, foreign and unfamiliar. He filed it away for later, too drained to process it fully."I didn't know if it would work," Ezra admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. His hands trembled in his lap, still stained with dried blood.

He avoided Shirley's gaze, focusing instead on the faint glow of the dying fire. "I just… I didn't know what else to do.""You didn't know what you were doing" Shirley shot back, the words laced with frustration. "Do you have any idea how close you came to killing yourself?"

Ezra flinched, the weight of Shirley's words hitting him like a physical blow. His chest tightened as guilt gnawed at him, sharp and unrelenting. "I was trying to save you," he muttered, barely able to meet Shirley's gaze.

The room fell silent for a moment, save for the faint crackle of the fire and the steady rhythm of their breathing. Shirley's piercing stare didn't waver, but the hard lines of his face softened just enough to betray the undercurrent of worry beneath his anger.

Finally, Shirley exhaled sharply, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "Yeah, well, you might've done just that," he muttered, his voice losing some of its edge.

"But that doesn't mean it was a good idea."Ezra's shoulders slumped as a mix of relief and exhaustion washed over him. He couldn't bring himself to argue.

He had acted recklessly, and he knew it. But the alternative—standing by and doing nothing—hadn't been an option. Not for him.Shirley crouched down then, his face coming level with Ezra's.

His gray eyes bore into Ezra's with an intensity that made him squirm. "Listen to me, kid. You don't mess with resonance unless you know what you're doing. You're lucky it didn't rip you apart from the inside out."Ezra blinked, his throat tightening.

"I didn't—" He stopped himself, realizing there was no point in arguing. Shirley was right. He had no idea what he was doing. He had acted on instinct, desperation, and hope. And somehow, it had worked. But that didn't make it any less dangerous.

"I get it,"

Ezra finally said, his voice soft but steady.

"I'll be more careful."Shirley studied him for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a faint grunt, he pushed himself back to his feet. "Good. Because next time, you might not be so lucky."Ezra nodded weakly, his gaze dropping to the floor. He wanted to say more, to ask about resonance and what it meant, but the exhaustion pressing down on him was too much.

His body felt like it was made of lead, his thoughts sluggish and fragmented.Shirley turned, his movements slower and more deliberate than usual, a reminder that he was still recovering from his own injuries.

He settled by the fire, his back to Ezra, leaving the younger man to stew in his thoughts.Ezra leaned back against the wall, letting his eyes drift closed. His mind churned with questions, but one thought stood out above the rest.

What the heck is resonance ?The word lingered in his mind, heavy and foreboding. Whatever it was, it wasn't just some random fluke. It was a power—one he barely understood, let alone controlled.

And the way Shirley had spoken about it, with that edge of caution and warning, told Ezra it was something dangerous.He exhaled slowly, his breath shaky and uneven.

The events of the day replayed in his mind, each moment sharper and more vivid than the last. The creature's piercing screech. The warmth of the light in his hands. The overwhelming exhaustion that had consumed him after . 

He needed answers fast .