In just fifteen minutes, Bael had crafted his invention.
He stood back, a little breathless but focused, eyeing the sleek metallic glove now strapped to his hand. His eyes flickered toward Viktor and Jayce, watching intently.
Without a word, he approached the workbench and placed his gloved hand on it.
A sharp, glowing sigil began to form, intricate and dark, pulsating with dangerous energy. It was almost like it had a life of its own. Bael's gaze sharpened.
He didn't wait for approval. His finger traced the sigil, leaving a faint trail of light behind.
"Explosive sigils. I like to call them boom-boom tattoos," Bael said, barely looking up.
Viktor's expression remained unreadable, but Jayce raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.
"What does that do?" Jayce asked, his voice even.
Bael smirked, tapping the glove. "It means anything I touch gets a mark. But the real fun begins when the mark gets bigger. The longer I hold contact, the bigger it gets... and when I decide to trigger it, it explodes."
He snapped his fingers.
The sigil pulsed, glowing brighter for a moment before it burst into a harmless but dramatic explosion of sparks. A small cloud of smoke puffed up from the desk, leaving a scorched mark where the sigil had been.
Jayce chuckled. "Impressive. That's certainly not something I'd want to be on the receiving end of."
Viktor's fingers drummed against his cane thoughtfully. "This could be more useful than it looks."
Bael gave them both a sharp look. "It's not just useful—it's efficient. Fast, reliable, and you don't need to carry anything bulky."
Jayce's eyes gleamed with interest. "Scalable?"
Bael's grin widened. "The longer it stays, the bigger the boom. Give it a minute, and I can turn a room into rubble... Tho I had an older version that could decimate a building in less than fifty seconds."
Viktor's lips twitched into something like approval. "A simple concept with plenty of potential. Effective work, Bael... Though you still have forty-five minutes, let's explore your ingeniosity more."
With a confident smirk, he turned to the table and began scanning the various tools and materials scattered before him.
"I've got something," Bael muttered, fingers brushing across components.
In half an hour, he was pulling out smaller, sharper bits of metal, threads of wire, and even a few leftover hexcrystals from the previous project. His mind raced ahead, combining elements, considering all the possibilities. He would make something fast but devastating.
Viktor raised an eyebrow at his focused work. "I'm surprised you're not taking the easy route and resting on your laurels. You've impressed me already."
Bael didn't look up, his concentration intense as he worked. "I'm not the type to half-as— i mean, ahem, rest before the finish mark." He stuttered, fingers flying over the materials.
Jayce was standing near the window now, watching with amusement. "What's the point of going above and beyond? You've already made something unique. Are you trying to show off?"
Bael grinned. "I'm just warming up."
"I call this one, The Spark." Bael said, turning it over to examine his handiwork.
Jayce squinted. "What does it do?"
Bael pressed a button on the side of the device. There was a small whirring sound, and the machine shot a small, pinpoint laser across the room, landing on the far wall.
At first, nothing happened. Then, a small, electrical surge crackled along the wall where the laser had landed. Within seconds, the entire area around the mark erupted into a chain reaction of energy bursts, like a rapid-fire sequence of small, but powerful electric shocks, moving outward in every direction.
"I've built an energy converter," Bael explained with a grin. "It stores energy in a small burst and then converts it into a chain reaction, creating an expanding wave of electrical damage. It won't blow up a building, but it'll take down anything it hits."
Viktor looked impressed, though his face remained controlled. "Very practical."
Jayce folded his arms, nodding thoughtfully. "Efficient, destructive. I can see this being useful."
Bael tilted his head, fingers running over the device. "It's quick. It's clean. And it's got enough power to fry a person on contact. I'm not here to play nice."
Viktor raised his cane, intrigued. "I see why you're so confident. It's... practical, but with a level of danger that doesn't rely on brute force. That's clever."
"You've shown creativity and raw skill. Your first invention, the 'Boom-Boom Tattoo,' was impressive in its simplicity and efficiency. A tool of destruction, no doubt. But it lacks finesse. It's blunt. The 'Spark' though—now that has refinement. It's deadly without being overt. It's... subtle, and for that, I think it's the more dangerous of the two."
He paused, locking eyes with Bael. "You're not here to make toys. You're here to make an impact. You've done that. Well done."
Bael nodded, barely holding back a grin. Jayce was pleased. That was good enough for him.
"The designs are... practical. Efficient. But, for someone of your abilities, I expected something more refined. Your creations show a good understanding of the mechanics, but where is the innovation?" Viktor raised an eyebrow. "You have the potential to shape the future, but you seem too focused on destructive simplicity. I expected more creation too."
Bael didn't flinch. "Sometimes, creation gets in the way. The world doesn't need more gadgets, it needs order."
Viktor stared at him for a moment before giving a slow nod. "But, true innovation requires pushing the boundaries of what's possible. It's not just about what works—it's about what can work."
He turned to Jayce, then back to Bael. "Still, you've shown us a glimpse of what you can do. I'm intrigued, Bael. You've earned my respect."
Heimerdinger, who had been silently observing the entire demonstration, finally spoke up from the back of the room, his voice high-pitched but firm. "While these creations are certainly functional, one must not forget the broader implications of such power. Precision is key, and while the 'Boom-Boom Tattoo' may be effective, one must ask, what happens when power is misused? What are we to do when the consequences ripple out of control?" He paused, glancing at Bael. "It's dangerous, yes, but it's not the kind of innovation I'd endorse in the long run."
Bael's smirk barely faltered. "I didn't come here for approval. I came to show you what I'm capable of. You've got what you wanted."
Finally, Jayce stepped forward again, his tone steady but decisive. "The decision is made. We'll offer you a place here at our lab, Bael. We don't give handouts, but if you can keep up with us—if you can prove yourself—there's no limit to what you could accomplish."
Bael's eyes gleamed with the challenge. "I'm not here to be part of a team. I'm here to show you what I can do. If that's enough, great. If not..." He let the words hang in the air.
Jayce nodded. "I think you'll fit in just fine."
He turned to Viktor, then Heimerdinger. "We'll work with him. But we'll be watching. Keep your edge."
Bael's grin spread wider as he stepped forward, a silent agreement between them all. Whatever this world had for him, he was ready to carve his own place in it.
Bael walked out of the room, his pulse still pounding in his ears, the weight of the interview and the decision hanging in the air. He'd made it—against all odds, he'd passed. But as he stepped into the hallway, everything fell away, and his eyes locked on the one person who made all of this worth it.
Powder was standing there, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, waiting. Her expression was unreadable, but Bael could see the faintest spark of something in her eyes—a promise of something more, something he couldn't quite name yet. But he was about to find out.
He didn't have time to speak before she was in front of him, her hands grabbing him by the shirt collar, pulling him down into a kiss so intense that it stole the breath right out of his lungs. It wasn't soft. It wasn't gentle. It was a kiss that screamed victory, that roared with the kind of passion that only came after facing the impossible and conquering it. Her lips were warm and urgent against his, her hands tightening around him as if she was making sure he was real, that they had both made it out of this hell together.
When they broke apart, Powder didn't pull away. Her hands slid down to his chest, her fingers lightly tracing the fabric of his shirt, her gaze never leaving his. "I told you, Bael," she said, her voice low, husky. "I told you, we'd make it. I knew you could do it."
Bael blinked, trying to catch his breath, still reeling from the intensity of the kiss. "I… I wasn't sure I'd make it."
Powder smirked, the mischievous glint in her eyes now sharper than ever. "You think I'm scared of a little challenge?" She raised an eyebrow, looking him up and down, her lips curling into a grin. "Not a chance. You and me, we were born for this."
Bael felt the weight of her words settle deep into his chest. She wasn't just talking about the job or the city. She was talking about them. About the life they were going to build. And the confidence in her voice, the way she looked at him, it made his heart beat faster.
"You're serious, huh?" Bael smirked, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Dead serious," Powder replied, her voice laced with determination. "You just proved you can handle anything. You're gonna marry me. And we're gonna take this city down together." She stepped closer, her hands now resting on his hips, her gaze never wavering from his.
Bael's breath caught in his throat. This wasn't a girl who wanted a fairy tale romance. This was Powder, the one person who had stood by his side through everything, the one who knew what it meant to fight, to struggle, to survive. And now, she was offering him more than just her love—she was offering him a partnership, a future.
"You're serious about this?" Bael asked, his voice softer now, almost in awe.
"Hell yeah, I am." Powder's grin widened, and her hands slid up to his neck, pulling him in for another kiss, this one softer, but no less intense. "I'm not letting you go, Bael. Not now, not ever."
Bael closed his eyes for a moment, letting the weight of everything sink in. He hadn't just secured a job. He hadn't just survived. He'd won. And he hadn't done it alone.
He pulled back just enough to look her in the eye, his lips curling into a grin. "Guess we're in this together, then."
"Damn right," Powder replied, her voice steady and full of conviction. "And you're never getting rid of me." She kissed him again, this time slower, deeper, a promise of everything that was to come.
And in that moment, Bael knew. This was only the beginning. The city, their future, everything—it was theirs for the taking.