In a narrow, dimly lit alley, Noel staggered forward, his once confident strides reduced to labored, uneven steps.

The oppressive darkness seemed to close in around him, every shadow a potential threat, every sound amplified by his heightened state of exhaustion.

His ragged breathing echoed through the empty corridor, each gasp a testament to his weakened state, reverberating off the grimy walls that enclosed him.

He leaned heavily against the rough brick walls, their coarse surface scraping against his skin as he used them for support.

His legs, once strong and swift, threatened to give out beneath him with every step, each movement a monumental effort.

His vision swam, the world around him a distorted blur of shapes and colors that melded together in a dizzying whirlpool.

The intense headache pounding in his skull felt like it would split his head open, each throb sending waves of agony through his body.

Every movement was a struggle, his muscles trembling with exhaustion, their strength sapped by the titanic forces he had wielded.

Suddenly, his legs buckled, and he collapsed to the ground with a harsh thud.

Pain shot through him as his knees hit the hard pavement, sending jolts of torment up his legs and into his already battered body.

He instinctively tried to brace himself with his hands, but they were too weak, and he crumpled further, his face inches from the cold, unforgiving ground.

A violent cough wracked his frame, blood splattering onto the dirty alley floor, a stark contrast to the dim light filtering down from above.

"Damn it!" he cursed, his voice raw and desperate, a guttural sound that echoed off the walls, the only noise in the desolate alley.

His hands trembled uncontrollably as he wiped the blood from his mouth, smearing it across his skin in a grisly reminder of his fragility.

His mind reeled from the aftereffects of his power surge, the once-clear thoughts now a chaotic jumble of pain and confusion.

He lay there, feeling the cold seeping into his bones, each breath a ragged struggle.

The alley, with its filth and decay, seemed to mock him, a fitting setting for his fall from power.

His entire body felt like it was on fire, every nerve ending screaming in agony.

The crushing weight of the power he had channeled left him feeling hollowed out, as if the very essence of his being had been drained.

He could barely think through the haze of pain and fatigue, his thoughts disjointed and fragmented, slipping away before he could grasp them.

Noel tried to push himself up, his fingers scraping against the rough pavement, but his arms gave way, and he slumped back onto the ground, defeated.

His breath came in shallow, ragged bursts, each one a struggle against the crushing weight on his chest.

The alley around him seemed to close in, the shadows growing longer and darker, as his vision continued to blur.

The oppressive night felt like it was swallowing him whole.

"I really shouldn't have used that power," Noel muttered to himself, his voice barely more than a whisper.

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The words felt foreign on his tongue, a stark acknowledgment of his dire mistake.

He was lucky not to have fallen into a coma, but his entire body felt like it had been through a grinder.

Every muscle screamed in protest, and his mind was a foggy mess of pain and exhaustion.

He lay there, the cold seeping into his bones, his breath coming in uneven gasps.

The bitter taste of blood lingered in his mouth, a reminder of the internal damage he had suffered.

The pounding headache intensified, each throb a reminder of his fragile mortality.

"I should move before more of them come," he thought, knowing full well that the Nexus officers would be relentless in their pursuit.

The thought of facing them again filled him with dread.

He had to get away, find a place to rest and recover, but his body was betraying him at every turn.

The alley, once a potential escape route, now felt like a prison, its walls closing in around him.

With a groan, Noel tried to push himself up again, using the wall for support.

His arms trembled violently, and his legs felt like they were made of lead.

He managed to rise a few inches off the ground before his strength gave out, and he crumpled back down with a frustrated cry, the impact jarring his already battered body.

"Shit! Come on!" Noel gritted his teeth, summoning every ounce of his dwindling strength to try and stand again.

His legs refused to cooperate, and he collapsed back to the ground, his knees scraping against the rough pavement.

The pain was sharp and immediate, but it paled in comparison to the exhaustion that weighed him down like a crushing force.

"So, you're here," a voice suddenly pierced the oppressive silence, sending a jolt of adrenaline through Noel's exhausted frame.

His eyes darted around in alarm until they landed on the approaching figure.

It was the same officer he had encountered at the party, the man who had orchestrated the trap that led him to this desperate state.

James's silhouette, backlit by the dim alley lights, cast an imposing shadow over Noel.

"So, you're here, Mr. Officer," Noel said, his voice surprisingly steady despite his dire condition.

He forced himself to remain calm, even as his body betrayed him.

His breathing was ragged, and each inhale felt like inhaling shards of glass, but he met David’s gaze with defiant eyes.

James's smirk was barely concealed as he took in Noel's pitiful state.

"You are really in a pathetic condition, Noel," he remarked, his tone dripping with mockery.

He stepped closer, his polished shoes echoing ominously against the pavement, his presence looming over Noel like a dark shadow.

"Indeed, I am," Noel responded, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

He rested his back against the cold, unforgiving wall, trying to gather what little strength he had left.

The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on him—he, who had wielded god-like power moments ago, now reduced to a broken figure on the ground.

"Anyways, are you here to arrest me?"

James crouched down to meet Noel at eye level, his expression a mix of amusement and contempt.

"Well, that would depend on your answers," he said, lowering himself to sit in front of Noel.

The sudden shift in his demeanor caught Noel off guard, a flicker of hope mingling with his exhaustion.

"What do you mean?" Noel's brow furrowed in confusion, suspicion gnawing at him.

James leaned forward slightly, his gaze intense and unwavering.

"I have some questions for you. Originally, I planned to capture you and then get those answers, but after witnessing your power, I changed my mind. Depending on your responses, I might decide to let you go."

Noel's eyes narrowed as he processed James's words.

Was this a genuine offer, or just another trap?

He was in no condition to fight or flee, and the slim chance to avoid capture was tempting, almost tantalizing.

"Is it so?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes," James confirmed, his tone earnest. "So, what do you say?"

Noel took a deep breath, his mind racing.

Each inhale was a struggle, each thought a desperate attempt to find a way out of his predicament.

He was backed into a corner, physically and mentally.

"What do you want to ask?" he inquired, his voice tinged with wary curiosity.

James's eyes bored into his, searching for something beneath the surface.

"When I was investigating your past, I uncovered information about your orphanage," he began, his voice steady and measured.

"At first glance, it appeared to be a normal orphanage. Even upon closer inspection, it seemed completely ordinary."

Noel's heart pounded in his chest, memories of his childhood flashing through his mind—faces of friends who had disappeared, the strange occurrences that had always been dismissed as coincidences.

"But then I noticed something peculiar. Most of the children who were enrolled in the orphanage either went missing upon reaching adulthood or awakened to some form of power. It was surprising to find that not a single person from that orphanage remained unawakened."

"I also discovered that people described the children from that orphanage as emotionally distant, almost strange. They rarely expressed their feelings openly," James's gaze intensified, scrutinizing Noel's reaction.

Noel's breath hitched.

The words struck a chord deep within him, echoing the sense of isolation he'd always felt but could never fully articulate.

The implications were staggering.

"What are you getting at?" he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Tell me everything about that orphanage," James pressed, his tone unwavering, his eyes never leaving Noel's.

Noel's exhaustion seemed to momentarily lift, replaced by a sharp, almost manic gleam in his eyes.

"Do you really want to know, Mr. Officer?" he asked, a grin spreading across his face despite his fatigue.

James responded with a smile of his own, though his eyes were sharp and focused.

"Well, if you want to be arrested, then don't tell me."

Noel chuckled, the sound harsh and brittle, like the cracking of dry leaves.

"First off, it wasn't an orphanage. It was a program to develop human weapons."

James's expression remained composed, but there was a slight tightening around his eyes, a subtle shift that betrayed the gravity of Noel's revelation.

"Who started that program?" he asked, his voice steady, almost too calm.

Noel leaned back against the wall, watching James intently.

"It was the government," he said, testing James's reaction.

James didn't flinch. He nodded slowly, his face a mask of calm control. "I see," he replied, his tone measured.

Noel raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. "You're not surprised?"

James shook his head slightly, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "I had already suspected as much."

"You're really interesting, Mr. Officer," Noel said, a hint of admiration in his tone.

Despite the exhaustion weighing down on him, he felt a spark of something he hadn't felt in a long time: respect.

James's smile faded into a more serious expression. "You should continue."

And so Noel started to tell him about everything.