Fragmented Harmony

James straightened, a grin spreading across his face. His eyes gleamed with excitement, his posture shifting into something predatory. "Finally,"

One of the scientists stepped forward, "wait, Please put this on James."

James looked confused "what for?"

Hayes looked at him " Just do it. It will protect you and test the force of impact if you get hit."

James had an amused looked on his face. "Haha that's a good one, get hit, Like I'd ever."

James put on the full body suite, it snug to his body, thin, light, but he could tell it was strong, it could protect him against a strong impact."

Haze studied him for a long moment before nodding. "Then let's push it further." His voice was deliberate, commanding. "Let's see how you handle this."

James cracked his knuckles again, the grin on his face widening. "You ready for this?"

Theo's mind raced, the sensation of his energy still pulsing inside him. Something in the air seemed to thrum with tension, and he could feel his pulse quicken. "I'm ready," he said, trying to ignore the flutter of unease building in his chest.

But the moment James moved, everything else disappeared.

James surged forward with a speed that was almost impossible to track, his body a blur as he closed the distance between them. The sound of his footsteps was drowned by the whoosh of air as he launched himself at Theo. In that instant, Theo barely had time to react.

James's fist came at him like a wrecking ball, but Theo was already moving—his body pushing against the air, his muscles tense with the power he'd barely learned about. He could hear his father's voice in his head, clear as day.

"Always protect your center, Theo. Don't let them dictate your movement. Keep your feet planted, and strike when you're sure."

The memory of his father's steady hands guiding his own, of training in the yard for hours, flooded his mind. His body moved with that guidance, his legs bracing as James's fist hit with a heavy force.

The punch connected with Theo's chest, knocking the wind out of him. He staggered back, the impact more jarring than expected, but the training his father instilled in him kept him on his feet.

He focused, remembering the rhythm of their practice sessions—the way his father had taught him to use his body's momentum to his advantage. He planted his feet and shifted his weight, trying to ground himself, but James wasn't letting up.

Theo's mind whirled. "Focus, Theo," his father's voice urged, like a mantra. And suddenly, something clicked.

Theo's muscles ignited with energy, and he pushed forward, the bio-force in his body responding. He surged at James, his movement flowing like an extension of his will. He could feel the pressure in the air, the surge of power.

But James was already anticipating his every move. With a laugh, he sidestepped, landing a quick jab to Theo's side. Theo gasped, the pain sharp but familiar—like the kind of hit his father had told him to brace for. "You have to learn to take a hit if you want to win," his father had always said.

The impact made him stumble, but something in Theo clicked again, like a switch flipping in his brain. He didn't just take the hit. He embraced it. He could feel the flow of energy in him, the vibration of his cells, and he willed that energy to his fists.

In that moment, ECHO's voice broke through the chaos.

" Partial Instinct activated. Energy harmony is now fragmented."

Theo stood tall, his chest heaving with each breath. The rush of energy still thrummed in his body, a mixture of exhilaration and exhaustion. For a moment, the world around him blurred, and he felt a strange calm. The adrenaline still surged through his veins, but there was something else too—a subtle shift, an alignment between his body and the bio-energy he was learning to control.

The air was thick with tension, but as ECHO's voice rang through his mind, it was like a signal that everything was changing.

"Partial Instinct activated. Energy harmony is now fragmented. Next step: learn control."

Theo's heart skipped a beat at the words. Fragmented. That was how it felt. The energy in him was still wild, unpredictable, but it was moving more fluidly. He could feel it in his muscles, his bones—the way his body surged forward, almost instinctively, when he attacked. It was like an unspoken language between his will and his energy, but it was still… broken. Not complete. Not perfect.

It wasn't full harmony, but it was something.

His fingers tingled as he clenched his fists, his mind racing. So this is it? His power was still a long way from mastery, but the rush he felt after landing that punch, the energy flowing through him like never before—it was a taste of what could come.

He wasn't just reacting. He was learning to be at harmony with it. But the road ahead would be long. He knew that. He would have to push further. He would have to complete each part of ECHO, piece by piece.

James's voice cut through his thoughts. "Alright!!!" James cracked his knuckles again, clearly thrilled by the challenge. "Let's see how you handle the next round."

Theo's gaze hardened, the weariness in his body ignored by the fire rising within. He wasn't just fighting for himself anymore. He was fighting for every lesson his father had taught him, for every scar on his body from the endless hours of training, for the strength his father had shown him when everything seemed impossible.

And for the power he was only just beginning to understand. He could feel the potential like an untamed storm waiting to be unleashed, waiting for him to master it.

Theo took a deep breath, letting it fill his lungs before exhaling slowly. He wasn't going to let his energy control him; he was going to control it. He wasn't going to falter under James's relentless pressure. This time, he was ready.

He squared his stance, feet firmly planted, and met James's eyes.

"You wanted a fight?" Theo's voice was steady, no longer shaky or uncertain. "Then let's see if you can handle this."

James grinned, clearly eager for the next exchange.

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