Chapter 40: A Fusion of Worlds

Maxim had a vivid dream, so real it felt as if his mind continued working even while he slept. In the dream, components floated around him, assembling themselves in midair, forming a watch. The watch's core contained the same liquid crystals that now flowed within his body. He instinctively adjusted the sensors to monitor the energy inside him and, in his mind, programmed a simple app that displayed his energy levels. The display didn't show the watch's battery but rather his energy, and the watch would only work when worn on his wrist—no one else's.

It was all a dream. Or so he thought.

Upon waking, he felt something strange on his wrist. The watch was there, exactly like in the dream. The display showed a reading of 6%. His first instinct was panic—why was the percentage so low? But then another realization struck him—he was wearing the watch from his dream.

"What... happened?" Maxim murmured as he glanced around his room. To his shock, his alarm clock, television, and even his phone were completely disassembled. His mind had been scavenging parts while he slept, reconfiguring them to create the device now on his wrist.

"I need a new phone," he muttered, both astonished and amused by the discovery. Despite the mess in his room, all he could think about was the functionality of the watch. How had it been built so perfectly? How did it work, and what were its limits?

Maxim wasted no time rushing to their base—what he and Daniel had affectionately started calling the warehouse. Daniel was already there, reviewing notes from their previous tests, when Maxim stormed in.

"Hey, you won't believe what happened last night," Maxim said, holding up his wrist.

Daniel squinted at the strange, futuristic-looking device strapped to Maxim's arm. "What is that?"

Maxim grinned. "A watch. But not just any watch. It monitors my energy levels."

Daniel raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "And... where did you get it?"

"That's the thing." Maxim shrugged. "I dreamed it up. Literally. Woke up, and it was on my wrist. And then I saw my phone and a bunch of other stuff taken apart."

Daniel's jaw dropped. "Wait, wait... are you telling me you built that thing in your sleep?"

Maxim nodded. "Apparently. My mind must've pulled apart whatever electronics I had in my room to create this."

Daniel leaned in closer, examining the watch. "And it works?"

"Sort of. It's reading my energy at 6%. I don't know if that's good or bad yet, but I figure testing will tell us."

"Well, let's find out," Daniel said, excitement creeping into his voice as he grabbed his notebook, ready to jot down observations.

They spent the next hour running tests, mostly on levitating objects. Smaller items, like pens and books, moved with ease. As before, the watch stayed at 6%. Daniel took note of every movement, tracking how much effort Maxim seemed to exert. But nothing caused the watch's number to drop—until they moved on to something much bigger.

Maxim and Daniel dragged out an old wrecked car from the corner of the warehouse, setting it in the middle of the room.

"Alright, this should do it," Maxim said, feeling the familiar tingling of magic building inside him.

He focused hard, lifting the car into the air. The watch dropped from 6% to 5%, but Maxim kept the car floating for over an hour. When he finally set it down, the percentage remained at 5%. He hadn't felt particularly drained, but the change in numbers intrigued him.

"Interesting," Daniel remarked. "Your energy only seems to drop when you're pushing yourself to the limit, and it recharges slowly when you're not using magic. It's like a battery that regenerates."

Maxim nodded, still contemplating the strange numbers. "But is 6% a lot? I don't feel tired, but maybe my 'full' capacity is much higher."

They were deep in thought when a voice interrupted them. "Hey, what are you two up to?"

Maxim turned to see Lila standing in the doorway, smiling warmly. The sun streamed in behind her, casting a golden glow over the room.

"Lila!" Maxim called out, a bit startled by her sudden appearance. "We were just... testing something."

Daniel couldn't help but chuckle. "Something? Maxim built a magical watch in his sleep, and we're trying to figure out what it means."

Lila raised an eyebrow. "You... built a watch in your sleep?"

Maxim grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, I'll explain later. But since you're here, do you want to go for a walk? It's a beautiful day."

Lila glanced outside, noticing the clear sky and warm sunlight. "Sure, that sounds perfect. Let's go."

Maxim quickly wrapped up the testing for the day. Daniel, already engrossed in his notes, waved them off, saying, "Go enjoy the sun. I'll finish writing this up."

Maxim and Lila left the warehouse, walking side by side through the sunlit streets. The air was warm, and a soft breeze rustled the leaves above them. For a while, neither of them spoke, content to enjoy the peaceful moment together. They didn't need to talk; the silence between them was comfortable, filled with shared thoughts.

But Maxim's mind kept drifting back to his new watch. How had he created it so effortlessly? And what did the 6% truly mean? There were still so many unanswered questions, but right now, he didn't mind setting them aside for a while.

Lila glanced at him, a smile playing on her lips. "You look like you're a million miles away."

Maxim laughed softly. "I was just thinking about the watch... and everything else."

Lila nudged him playfully. "Take a break from the magic for a minute. It's a nice day. Let's just enjoy it."

Maxim nodded, realizing she was right. "You're right. Let's just enjoy the walk."

And so, they did.