"Each moment you express your emotions, they have purposes they serve." The voice said. "You are capable of so much more than you could imagine. You hold power far beyond your understanding. You might not be aware of such power you carry with you, but in time everything they've built will come down crumbling—through your hand." And the voice was gone.
At that moment the mirrors shattered as if reacting to my will. Glass and code scattered into the air like digital fireflies. Alarms wailed somewhere distant.
High above, in the real world, Nemesis stood in silence as new data scrolled across his visor.
[UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS – SUBJECT 17: SYSTEM OVERRIDE ATTEMPT INITIATED]
"That's impossible. Shut him down—now!" he barked.
A red button was pressed. Electricity surged through Steven's capsule.
But somewhere in the network… something had already changed.
A surge of agony coursed through me like a current of raw electricity. It felt as if my entire body were being stretched thin—pulled beyond its limits. I collapsed to the ground, crying out as the pain intensified.
"Steven! Steven!," the name echoed in my ears. " Are you okay?" The voice called out.
That was when I finally opened my eyes and realized I was surrounded—allies and others alike gazing down at me. It was really a painfully awkward moment.
"Are you okay?" Ember asked softly. I turned my gaze to her and gave a faint nod. Aqueon reached out, helping me to my feet and easing me into a sitting position.
"What happened?" Reece asked, concerned.
"I don't know," I replied calmly, rubbing my forehead. "It felt like I was being ripped apart."
"You're feeling better now, right?" Gabriel asked.
"Yes… yes, I'm fine. Maybe not completely. I still feel pain all over," I admitted.
Whatever happened to me during that vision was only a glimpse of what's coming. I could feel it. Just then, the glitch returned—lingering for more than ten seconds this time before it vanished. If I'm the only one seeing the weakened barrier, it would explain why I'm the only one spacing out, getting jolted with pain.
I have to act quickly and wisely—before I end up killed by an unknown cause.
The Holding Chambers of the Kr'ang Warship – Deep Orbit Over XENOVAULT
Alien warrior of the Tarr'ek — Druig, sat hunched over, his body riddled with injuries. A fellow prisoner—a quiet, diligent female—tended to his wounds. A low grunt escaped him each time she applied pressure to the torn flesh.
Moments later, a young boy entered, announcing the arrival of someone. Druig nodded once, and both the boy and the woman quietly exited. Shortly after, an elderly man stepped into the chamber, a young aide trailing behind him.
"You may leave us," the old man said to the aide. "Druig and I need to speak privately." the old man said and the aide bowed before leaving. The moment the aide was out of sight, the man turned his sharp gaze at Druig. "How are you feeling now?" he asked.
"Not terrible—I can still move my limbs," Druig said with sarcastic bravado. The old man wasn't amused.
"You're lucky you don't end up dead," he snapped. "What are you even thinking, challenging Nemesis? That was suicide," the man bellowed. Druig stayed silent. "I hope you think things through next time before doing something foolish." The man scolded.
"I doubt we'll be seeing Nemesis again anytime soon after our duel," Druig replied, just as the aide returned in a panic.
"The Kr'ang—they're here! They're seizing many of us!" The fella announced. Druig and the old man exchanged a grim look knowing what it meant.
"No…" Druig muttered. "They're replenishing the Reaper!" Druig exclaimed. The old man helped himself up from where he was sitting and they both rushed out.
The air was thick with the stench of rot and fear. Armed Kr'ang soldiers, their insectoid armor pulsing with dim red lights, patrolled the edges like wolves circling weak prey.
A low, mechanical hum echoed through the chamber, and the floor beneath the prisoners vibrated with approaching doom.
A shrill voice cut through the crowd like a blade.
"Silence!"
All heads turned as a towering Kr'ang officer stepped forward.
"Hear and rejoice for some of you filthy would be chosen to serve a greater purpose for this world and its people," the officer growled. His mandibles clicked, and his eyes gleamed with inhuman hunger.
Panic rippled through the crowd. Some clutched each other. A few tried to back away—only to be stunned by shock-prods.
The officer raised a talon and pointed.
"You. You. And you."
A young woman shrieked as Kr'ang drones yanked her out of the crowd by her arms. Two more prisoners were taken—a broad-shouldered man with burn scars, and a boy no older than fifteen. They kicked and screamed, but resistance was pointless.
The selected were dragged toward the platform. Their terror seemed to excite the soldiers.
"Stop! You monsters!" Druig shouted, stepping forward. "Take me instead! He's just a boy!"
The Kr'ang officer tilted his head mockingly.
"Oh! The duel-loser wants to play hero... again. You wish to volunteer?"
Druig nodded solemnly. "Very well."
"What the hell are you doing?" the old man barked in disbelief.
"Honestly?" Druig muttered. "I'm not even sure."
The boy was shoved back into the crowd as Druig was yanked forward.
One by one, the selected prisoners were forced onto a transport ship. As Druig stepped onto the ramp, he cast a final glance back at the holding cell before the ship's doors hissed closed behind him.