The cursor blinked in the darkness of the room, a steady, rhythmic pulse that matched the beating of Elias’s heart. It was 2:00 AM, and the rain lashed against the windowpane, a fitting backdrop for what he was about to attempt.
Which of those would you like?
For a moment, nothing happened. The progress bar remained a flat, gray line. The silence in the room stretched, thick and heavy. Then, a flicker. A single peer appeared. Then another. Then a swarm. The gray line turned to a vibrant, promising purple.