(Opening Scene: The pitch-black Resonance Orb remains the focal point, a silent testament to the unusual nature of Zane's power. The instructors huddle briefly, their hushed tones betraying their uncertainty.)
After a moment of stunned silence, Master Elmsworth himself approached the testing station, his gaze fixed on the obsidian orb. He circled it slowly, his brow furrowed in thought.
"Fascinating," he murmured, more to himself than to the gathered applicants. "A power that… consumes light itself." He turned to Zane, his eyes sharp and assessing. "Young man, your abilities are… unconventional. Can you control this… darkness?"
Zane nodded slowly, though even to himself, it felt like a half-truth. He could channel it, manifest it, but the raw, consuming nature of it sometimes felt beyond his full control. "Yes… I can contain it."
Master Elmsworth gestured to the still-dark orb. "Show me."
With a deep breath, Zane focused his will. He reached out mentally to the void within him, attempting to draw back the overwhelming darkness that had enveloped the Resonance Orb. Slowly, tentatively, a faint glimmer began to appear within the blackness, like a distant star in a night sky. The pitch black began to recede, though the orb still remained significantly darker than it had been before he touched it, now possessing a deep, obsidian hue.
A collective sigh of relief swept through the onlookers. Master Elmsworth nodded slowly, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Indeed. Power… and a measure of control. This is… a unique resonance."
The instructors conferred again, their voices still low. Finally, the initial instructor returned to Zane. "While this… deviates significantly from the expected readings, the sheer potency is undeniable. We will need to calibrate our assessment. For now, you have demonstrated… significant raw power."
Zane felt a wave of relief wash over him. He hadn't been disqualified outright. His unusual power had been acknowledged, even if it was clearly beyond their standard understanding.
As the next applicant stepped forward for their turn, Zane couldn't shake the feeling that his test had been… different. He had shown raw power, but in a way that defied their metrics, leaving an impression of something ancient and profound.