The world around Aaron was frozen in an eerie stillness. The shadow figure’s outstretched hand hung in the air, tendrils of black energy suspended mid-strike. Even the faint hum of the lab’s machinery was silent, as if time itself had stopped.

Crux stepped forward, their form much more solid than before, though their outline still flickered faintly like a flame struggling against the wind.

Aaron staggered to his feet, clutching his chest where the taller figure’s blast had hit him. “You again,” he said, his voice laced with frustration. “What do you want now? I’m kind of in the middle of something!”

Crux tilted their head, their expression unreadable. “If I hadn’t intervened, you would already be dead. You’re welcome.”

Aaron scowled. “Great. Thanks for the save. Now how about explaining what the hell is going on? Who are these… Phantom Hunters, and why do they keep calling me Nexus?”

Crux stepped closer, their movements deliberate, almost cautious. “The power you’ve been given makes you a Nexus—a focal point in the Time Stream. Your existence alone creates ripples, and those ripples disrupt the balance of reality. The Phantom Hunters are agents of the Stream, tasked with eliminating anomalies like you before they cause irreparable damage.”

Aaron ran a hand through his hair, his frustration mounting. “That still doesn’t explain why this is happening to me! I was just a scientist working on an experiment. I didn’t ask for any of this!”

Crux’s gaze softened, their voice dropping slightly. “The Stream doesn’t choose based on desire or fairness. It chooses based on necessity. When the tachyon burst occurred, it wasn’t an accident—it was the Stream selecting you as its Nexus. You were always meant to inherit this power.”

Aaron’s jaw tightened. “Meant to? What does that even mean? And why does having this power make me a target?”

Crux raised a hand, and the frozen air around them began to ripple. “You’ve barely scratched the surface of what you’re capable of, Nexus. The Stream isn’t just a flow of time—it’s the lifeblood of existence itself. Every decision, every possibility, every timeline is connected through it. And you, whether you like it or not, are now its guardian.”

Aaron blinked, the weight of Crux’s words sinking in. “Guardian? You’re saying I’m supposed to protect the entire multiverse?”

Crux nodded. “Yes. But as you are now, you’re unprepared. That’s why I’ve stopped time—to give you the chance to learn. If you don’t, the next time you face the Hunters, you won’t survive.”

Aaron glanced at the frozen figures of the Phantom Hunters, his hands clenching into fists. “Fine. If I need to learn, then teach me. Show me how to control this power.”

Crux’s flickering form seemed to brighten slightly, as if pleased by his determination. “Very well. But understand this: the journey ahead will not be easy. The Stream is a vast and complex force, and mastering it requires more than just speed. It demands focus, precision, and an unshakable will.”

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Aaron straightened, meeting Crux’s gaze. “I don’t care how hard it is. If I don’t do this, people will get hurt. Dr. Kael… my world… everything I care about. So let’s get started.”

Crux extended their hand, and a shimmering portal opened beside them. Unlike the Phantom Hunters’ portal, which had been dark and ominous, this one radiated a soft golden light, its edges pulsing gently.

“This is a gateway into the Void,” Crux explained. “It exists outside of time—a place where the rules of reality don’t apply. There, you’ll begin your training.”

Aaron hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward. He glanced back at Dr. Kael, who remained frozen in place, her face locked in an expression of fear and confusion.

“Will she be okay?” he asked.

“She won’t even realize you’re gone,” Crux said. “Time will remain frozen until you return.”

Taking a deep breath, Aaron stepped into the portal.

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The Void was unlike anything Aaron had ever experienced. The space around him was an infinite expanse of shifting light and shadow, with streams of golden energy flowing in every direction. He felt weightless, yet grounded, as if the Void itself was both everywhere and nowhere at once.

“Welcome to the heart of the Stream,” Crux said, their voice echoing through the emptiness. “Here, you’ll learn to channel your power and harness the true potential of the Nexus.”

Aaron turned in a slow circle, taking in the surreal landscape. “Where do we start?”

Crux gestured, and a series of glowing orbs appeared around them, each one pulsating with a unique energy. “Your first lesson is understanding the flow of time. Each of these orbs represents a fragment of the Stream—a timeline, a possibility, a moment. To master your power, you must learn to perceive them all simultaneously.”

Aaron frowned. “Perceive them all? That sounds… impossible.”

Crux’s expression hardened. “It will feel that way at first. But the Nexus is more than just speed—it’s an extension of the Stream itself. Close your eyes, focus, and let the energy guide you.”

Reluctantly, Aaron closed his eyes. At first, all he could sense was the hum of the Void around him. But as he concentrated, he began to feel… something else. Threads of energy brushed against his consciousness, each one carrying a faint impression—a memory, a possibility, a choice.

“There,” Crux said. “You’re starting to feel it. Now, reach out. Let the Stream flow through you.”

Aaron extended his hand, and one of the orbs floated toward him. The moment it touched his fingers, a flood of images and sensations overwhelmed him—a battle in a ruined city, a child laughing on a sunny day, a star collapsing into itself.

He gasped, pulling his hand back. “What… what was that?”

“A glimpse of the Stream,” Crux said. “Every timeline, every possibility exists within it. As the Nexus, you can interact with these fragments, altering their flow or drawing power from them. But doing so comes at a cost. The more you interfere, the greater the risk of destabilization.”

Aaron took a shaky breath, his mind reeling from the sheer magnitude of what he’d experienced. “How am I supposed to control something like this?”

“With practice,” Crux said. “And discipline. The Void is your training ground, but the real test will come when you return to the Stream. The Phantom Hunters won’t stop, and their attacks will only grow more relentless. You must be ready.”

Aaron nodded, determination hardening in his chest. “Then let’s keep going. I’m not letting them win.”

Crux’s form flickered, their energy pulsing faintly. “Good. Your next lesson begins now.”

As the golden orbs began to shift and multiply, Aaron braced himself, ready to face whatever came next.

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