Tazewell looked around the glass walls as he stepped into the center. Doctor Caden pushed the panel behind him after he took his position in front of the three stools, then sat at the high stool next to a table where his clipboard was waiting.
"Ready when you are, Mr. Nolson. Twist the bracelet as I instructed you."
With a turn of his left hand over the bracelet on his right wrist, Tazewell snapped the piece together. Within an instant, the chain links which dangled in his right hand melted and formed into a single metallic rod. The angle at which he held the metal caused the middle stool which he was standing before to be knocked over as it protruded out from the transformation. The granite rock which rested on its surface fell to the ground with a hard strike, but remained intact. He blinked at the fallen chair in a moment of disbelief before pulling the stool back up and replacing the rock on the seat. Doctor Caden laughed at his reaction.
"OK. First test, please. How does the metal feel in your hands now?"
"Feels good. Solid and sturdy. Like an iron rod."
"Good, good. Go ahead, then. Test One."
The first test was the tin can which rested on the stool to his right. Tazewell held the rod down, paused to take in a breath, then raised it over his head to strike upon the can with as much force as he could muster. The can offered no resistance to the strike and collapsed around the club, but only until the stool underneath it broke apart from the force as well. The metal and wood rained to the ground in a satisfying explosion of force. The Doctor smiled as he recorded the result on his sheet.
"Excellent! Test Two! Do it just the same."
Tazewell smiled now and and prepared the strike as he did before. The metal bat was raised up and swung down. The strike caused a few sparks to fly as the rock was split in two, and fell apart upon the stool seat. Doctor Caden nodded and wrote this expected result down. Now it was time for the most interesting test.
"Good. Now, as much force as you can muster with this hit. We need to test the durability as much as we can."
On the third stool was a piece of white mineral roughly the size of an apple - it was an unfinished and flawed diamond. Today it would find its use. Tazewell paused a few moments, making sure he had focus on the hit, drummed his fingers on the metal, then took the baton up to strike. He swung it down upon the diamond with a loud roar and caused the stool underneath to break apart yet again. The diamond bounced onto the ground and rolled to the edge of the glass wall. The recoil from the strike made Tazewell reel backwards from his stance. Doctor Caden rose to the side of the glass in an exctied rush.
"Show me! Quickly! Show me the metal!"
He held the metal rod up with both hands for the doctor to see, and he was elated at the sight. The metal did more than merely survive the strike intact, it appeared fully unblemished.
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