Jax and Zara raised their hands, trying to block my path. I ignored them, slipping past with a jerky step. My Nexus flared for a second, causing me to stumble. I grabbed a nearby chair to steady myself. I couldn’t predict when the inhibitor would fail again.

I was going to either get myself injured or worse. Pushing up, I finally got a look at the only person in the room. I could hear Jax hiss behind me, muttering something that I didn't catch. I knew he would be pissed that I put myself in front of him.

The man who had spoken had a towering presence and shoulders that gave off a menacing stillness that set my nerves on edge. He wore a uniform that had the marking of an officer of the Empire. However his uniform had the crest torn off it, It was an impressive cut on his figure with sharp lines and dark material tailored to perfection. His eyes, a cold, steely grey, flickered with a glint of recognition and amusement as they settled on me. His face bore several scars, and a faint shimmer of light along the thin lines on his neck hinted at his own military-issued Nexus.

“Ah, Baron Alex.” His voice was a smooth, mocking drawl. “I see you’ve decided to grace us with your presence after all. I figured you would have run away, but the rumours about you aren't all true. haha.”

The words dripped with malice, but I held my ground. Holding my head up in defiance. Jax and Zara tensed beside me, their hands hovering near their weapons. I hadn’t noticed they had moved beside me. I opened my mouth to speak but was beaten to it by the commander as he stepped forward.

“You.” Spat the commander. “This is what you threw it all away for. You turned your back on the very people you swore to protect. To this?”

“Ah. Yes. Commander Theon. I expected more from you.” replied the rebel leader as he let out a growl. “The famous commander of Drakara. The man who single-handedly defeated the incursions and saved the planet. You are not what I had hoped for. Disappointing, really.”

My rage boiled, threatening to consume every ounce of control I had left. I struggled to rein it in, the voice of reason barely a whisper beneath the roaring storm. I knew from my training that charging in blindly, without assessing an opponent’s skills, was suicide. Every lesson I’d ever been taught screamed at me to keep a level head and to think strategically.

But none of that mattered now.

The anger I was barely holding back surged through me, feeding the Nexus energy that clawed to be set free. Each deep breath felt like stoking a fire I could no longer contain. My hands trembled, not with fear, but with the overwhelming urge to strike, to tear this man apart for everything he’d done. Every life lost on this station, every innocent caught in his web of lies, screamed in my head.

I ignored it all. Every voice, every warning, every ounce of reason. I let the anger take over.

“Hey!” I shouted, my voice raw, echoing through the room like a thunderclap. The rage boiling over, spilling out with every word. “What gives you the right? You attacked this station and killed countless people for what? For some twisted game? Some sick fantasy of power?” My chest heaved as I stepped forward, the heat and power of the Nexus coursing through my veins like molten metal.

I pointed a shaking finger at him, my voice rising with each syllable, unbridled fury spilling out. “Did you organize the attack on our way here, too? Did you sit back and laugh while good people died? People better than you, they died for your stupid little idea of what? Freedom? Chaos? What is it you’re trying to prove, you coward?”

The words cut through the tension in the room like a blade, and for a moment, everything was still. My breathing was heavy, and my fists clenched so tight I thought my bones might snap. I didn’t care. I could feel Jax and Zara’s eyes on me. Commander Theon's mouth moved wordlessly.

The rebel tilted his head, his cold, grey eyes watching me with amusement as though my rage was exactly what he wanted. His lips curled into a slow, mocking smile, and that look only poured more fuel onto the fire burning inside me.

“The rebellion on Drakara? Chaos spreads faster than you think, Baron. A few whispers, a nudge, and the people were already hungry for someone like you.” His eyes glinted with triumph as he took a slow step forward. “And what a hero you turned out to be, their supposed liberator.”

I clenched my fists, feeling the Nexus casing my muscles to heat up, almost like they were burning beneath my skin.

“Who’s pulling your strings?” I growled. “Why Drakara, and why me?”

The rebel chuckled, low and dark. “You think this is about you?” He took a slow step forward, his cold eyes locked on mine.

“No, Baron. This is bigger than your petty crusade. Although one of our members has a grudge against you.” The rebel paused before deciding to continue. “No, my dear Baron. This is a piece of something far larger, a game orchestrated by minds far more capable than yours.” His gaze sharpened. “I serve someone who sees beyond the stars. But My current master is waiting for you. Yes, you see, he is waiting for you on the surface. And he has plans for Drakara…and for you.”

I barely had time to process everything the rebel leader had said before the Nexus-enhanced rebel shifted his weight, eyes narrowing as he stepped forward. “I wouldn’t if I were you. Do you know how dangerous it is to fire that Gauss rifle on a space station?”.

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Jax met his gaze head-on, that cocky smirk twisting his mouth as he hefted his Gauss rifle. “Yeah, I do know. The difference is I don’t care as long as it takes you down first. Now. Let’s see how long that smug face lasts,” he muttered, aiming right at the rebel’s chest.

Jax fired, the Gauss rifle roaring to life. The shot tore through the air, but the rebel twisted impossibly fast, dodging the round with a blur of motion. The impact scorched the wall behind him, leaving a large, jagged hole that hissed with residual energy.

“Nice try,” the rebel sneered, already closing the gap.

Jax didn’t back down. He fired again; his aim was accurate, but his opponent was faster, weaving like a phantom. Before Jax could pull the trigger a third time, the rebel lunged forward, slamming the rifle out of his hands with a brutal downward strike.

The weapon clattered to the floor, and Jax barely managed to duck the follow-up blow, a vicious arc of the rebel’s elbow that would’ve shattered bone.

Jax countered, his Nexus-enhanced reflexes kicking in. He spun low, sweeping a leg toward the rebel’s knees, but the man leapt back, his movements eerily smooth. Jax darted in, his fist driving toward the rebel’s ribs in a blur of motion, but the rebel parried with a flick of his wrist, then countered with a ferocious backhand.

The impact snapped Jax’s head to the side. He staggered but kept his balance, his jaw clenched tight as he wiped blood from his lip.

“Still standing? Impressive,” the rebel taunted, circling like a predator sizing up wounded prey. “But let’s see how long that lasts.”

Jax didn’t respond. Instead, he feinted left, then drove forward with an uppercut aimed at the rebel’s jaw. The rebel moved to block, but this time, Jax was faster. His fist connected with a satisfying crunch, and the rebel stumbled back, a flicker of surprise flashing in his eyes.

“You’re not invincible,” Jax growled, advancing.

But the rebel recovered quickly. He tilted his head, smirking through the blood on his lip. “Neither are you.”

The next exchange was a blur of motion. Jax fought with raw determination, his strikes rapid and relentless. The rebel countered each one with precision as if anticipating every move. A brutal knee to Jax’s ribs knocked the wind from his lungs, followed by a sharp elbow that sent him crashing into a nearby console. The glass surface shattered under the impact, spraying shards across the floor.

Jax groaned, pushing himself up on trembling arms. His breaths came in shallow gasps, and pain radiated from his side.

“You’re good,” the rebel admitted, his voice casual, almost bored. “But not good enough.”

Jax didn’t wait for him to strike again. With a desperate burst of energy, he lunged forward, tackling the rebel to the ground. The two rolled across the floor in a flurry of fists and knees, each trying to gain the upper hand. Jax managed to land a solid punch to the rebel’s temple, but the rebel responded with a savage headbutt that left Jax dazed.

The rebel was on top in a flash, pinning Jax to the floor. His hand closed around Jax’s throat, squeezing with Nexus-enhanced strength.

“You should’ve stayed down,” the rebel hissed.

Jax clawed at the rebel’s grip, his vision blurring. He could feel the strength leaving his limbs, the fight slipping away.

“Jax!” Zara’s voice cut through the haze. Her plasma rifle raised, but she hesitated, the chaos of the fight making a clear shot impossible.

The rebel glanced toward her, distracted for a fraction of a second. It was all Jax needed. Summoning the last of his strength, he drove his knee into the rebel’s stomach, forcing him to release his grip. Jax rolled away, coughing and gasping for air.

The rebel stood, brushing himself off with infuriating calm. “This is getting boring,” he said as Jax staggered upright.

The rebel smirked as he landed a devastating kick to Jax’s chest, sending him skidding across the floor. Jax gasped, clutching his ribs as he struggled to rise, but it was clear he was outmatched.

The rebel turned, his gaze locking onto me. His grin widened, cold and predatory, as he stepped toward me.

“Your turn, Baron,” he said, his voice like a knife twisting in my gut.

My legs felt rooted in place. Every instinct screamed at me to move, to strike, to do something, but I couldn’t. My mind spun through every combat drill, every sparring session, useless. None of it prepared me for this. For the reality of standing face-to-face with someone who didn’t just want to win but to kill.

My heart was pounding, and a deep, erratic thud echoed in my ears. The air felt like it was almost too thick, pressing in against my chest, making it hard to breathe. This wasn't the same for all my training, simulations, and drills. This wasn’t controlled. This wasn’t safe.

I glazed over at where Jax was struggling to get up. I swallowed. I’d talked big, sure. Shouted words meant to provoke, to defy, but now, staring at the rebel’s cold, amused eyes, I felt the truth clawing its way up my throat: this was real. The stakes were real. One wrong move, and I wouldn’t just fail; I’d die. Or worse, someone else would.

The Nexus roared power through my veins, a force I could no longer hold back. Heat surged under my skin, blurring the edges of my vision. My pulse thundered in my ears, drowning out every voice but one: Protect them. I took a step forward, my muscles taut, burning with a power I didn’t fully understand.

The rebel turned, recognition flashing in his eyes, and for the first time, his smirk faltered for a second. But despite everything, I still hesitated. I’d felt this before. What if I couldn’t pull it back this time? What if it wasn’t enough? What if I wasn’t enough?

My hands trembled, but not from the energy. From me. From the fear I couldn’t bury. The voice in the back of my mind whispered cruel truths: You’re not ready. You’ve never been ready. The training wasn’t real, and this. This is death waiting for you.

I let out a shaky breath. I knew that this was it. That there was no holding back now.

“Alex!” Zara shouted, rushing forward. She got a single shot off before the rebel whipped around, striking her with a backhand that sent her sprawling across the floor.

Shaking my head as I heard Zara cry out. My eyes snapped to her crumpled form, Lyra dragging her to safety, and something broke loose inside me. The fear still clawed at my chest, but another voice rose louder again: Protect them. Don’t let them down.

The rebel’s head snapped back to me, his lips curving into a grim smile as he chuckled. “Ah,” he breathed, flexing his fingers in anticipation. “Finally, the real Alex Draven.”

I surged forward, the Nexus finally breaking free of the inhibitor like a dam bursting under pressure. My movements were faster and stronger than they should’ve been, but they felt wild, untamed. The rebel’s grin faltered for a fraction of a second, just enough to give me a glimmer of hope.

But the fear I felt as I closed the distance didn’t disappear.