Chapter 12: Claire

Present day

Location: Leight University, Left Hemisphere: The Mining Lab

I stand in the heart of the mining lab, surrounded by humming machinery and glowing panels. I can’t help but be intrigued by the advanced equipment and the surprisingly easily accessible unrefined Flexi-metal. Talk about the disparity of resources, we rusties have to claw and even steal to get what we need to make our technology.

The Energy Infusion Chamber buzzes with fierce energy, ready to turn the pre-inserted raw metal into something way more impressive. My fingers dance over the control panel, the surface cool and smooth under my touch as I tweak the temperature settings.

Flying solo here, which in hindsight, might not have been my brightest idea. The sheer magnitude of this task is hitting me—hard. But hey, it's showtime for Claire, the background character in the family drama starring the formidable duo—Simon, Mr. Strong and Steady, and Rav, the Brainiac.

Today, it's my turn to shine. Or, at least, not to blow anything up.

The door seals with a hiss, and I kick off the infusion cycle. The air buzzes, alive with the power of the chamber, and I watch through the thick, protective glass as the metal starts to glow a sinister red. Drama, much?

Once the metal is at the right temperature, the holographic interface confirms that the metal is ready for the infusion.

"Okay, Claire, you got this," I mutter to myself, puffing up my chest in a mock-heroic pose.

I fire up my omni-lens, the small but powerful device embedded in my retina that links me to every piece of tech within range. Just as I’m about to connect, a prompt pops up in my visual field with the NexTech logo chilling in the corner,

Connect to the Energy infusion chamber via NexTech Energy Field. Accept?

The Energy Field is their proprietary tech—great for secure connections, but it’s a surefire way to leave a trace. Remembering Zeb’s warnings, not ideal when we’re trying to stay off the grid.

I think about giving Rav or Zeb a shout, but they’re likely tangled up in their dream-walking stuff, and I don’t want Rav to think I can’t handle things on my own.

I guess I'm just gonna have to wing it and make the connection myself. Hopefully, it'll be quick. We're not sticking around on this fog-drenched rock much longer anyway.

I take a deep breath, forcing myself to push aside the rising tide of nerves. This is it—no turning back. I steady my hands over the controls, my mind narrowing its focus as I prepare to connect to the energy field. The moment I initiate the link, a sharp tingle races through my spine, making my breath hitch.

My omni-lens dings softly, displaying the Connection Successful prompt, but I barely register it over the sudden wave of dizziness that hits me. I grip the console, knuckles white, as the room tilts ever so slightly.

A cold sweat breaks out along my brow, but I breathe through it, forcing myself to center. The energy is pulsing now, syncing with my thoughts, and I know there’s no room for hesitation. I have to make this work.

The chunky black metal starts cooling down from its fiery red to its normal, dark sheen. I'm tuning the infusion chamber now, focusing hard on what I need this Flexi-metal to do—a portal that can rip a hole right into the Energy recycling center.

This part's always a beast, the most draining by far. As the chamber funnels Nexus energy through me, I'm feeling all sorts of woozy and cold. This is way tougher than when I whipped up my MorphRing. But then again, a space-time bending portal device is probably a notch or two up from crafting some flexi-armor.

My omni-lens ping—a cheerful beep to say the Mining's activated. Heat starts creeping back into my bones, and I slump against the window, watching the rough edges of the metal smooth out and shift shapes behind the glass. There's a soft glow to it, pulsing gently as it takes in all my focused energy and intentions.

The chamber hums along quietly, a stark change from the clanky racket Rav's setup makes back home. Man, I kinda miss that rickety old thing. Glancing at my reflection, I catch my eyes flipping to pitch black so fast you'd think you imagined it—kinda like that freaky moment at the Transit Portal.

The guilt gnaws at me, a constant undercurrent I can’t shake. I lied to Rav, keeping the truth buried beneath all the chaos—saving Dad, the mess at the waning festival, and everything else. The metal flares up brightly, almost like it’s reflecting my turmoil, then settles into a calm glow.

My memories of the Transit Portal come rushing back. I’d followed Rav into that wild, swirling vortex, my mind buzzing with all the ways this could go sideways. And, of course, it did.

Stranded, the darkness swallowed me whole, cold seeping into my bones. I tried to fire up my MorphRing—no dice. My heart raced, panic clawing at my thoughts. Calling out for help seemed foolish, but fear has a way of making you desperate.

“Hello? I’m stuck here!” I shouted into the void, my voice bouncing around and returning as a faint echo.

"Yeah, happy to head back if this is too much trouble," I called out again into the engulfing darkness, but this time, the echo wasn’t my own. A gravelly voice, tangled with whispers, slithered through the darkness, sending a chill down my spine."

Panic flared up, and I spun around, trying to locate the source of that eerie voice.

"Trouble," it repeated, and I strained my eyes in the dark, my hands clenched at my sides. "You're too much trouble. Weak. Indecisive. Always in your sister's shadow, always one step behind, always doubting yourself." the voice grew louder, mocking.

The words echoed in the void, each one sinking into my mind, feeding the fears I tried so hard to bury."

"That’s what you think of yourself, isn’t it?" Now, the voice was disturbingly close, almost as if the speaker was right behind me.

A faint, unnatural glow flickered behind me, and an icy shiver ran down my spine. My breath hitched, my heart pounding in my chest as dread tightened its grip.

"Who are you?" I forced the words out, my voice trembling, only for the reply to echo back eerily as if the darkness itself was speaking.

“Turn around and see,” it whispered, dripping with malice. My legs felt like lead, but I slowly turned, every instinct screaming at me to run.

Standing there, stark against the void, was a mirror image of me—except her eyes were pitch black, a twisted grin spread across her face. Tendrils of dark energy coiled around her, making her look both familiar and terrifyingly alien.

"Me?" My voice was a mix of disbelief and fear.

"Yup," she replied casually.

"How?" I stammered, trying to make sense of the surreal encounter.

She tilted her head, observing me with an unnerving intensity. "It’s been a while. Where did you go?"

I was confused and frightened. I wanted to escape back to Rust Town. Seeing my bewilderment, she continued,

"You have no idea who you are."

She paused, seemingly gauging my reaction, then chuckled darkly. "Your dad has hidden much from you, but now you're home. We can become what we were meant to be."

"I don’t want to be anything from you. I want to leave this place," I asserted, my eyes darting around, searching for any sign of an exit.

"Give yourself to me, and you will have the power you seek," she offered temptingly.

"Fuck that, I don’t even know who you are," I shot back, defiance flaring despite the fear.

"Sure you do. We've been together since we were kids. You've just forgotten. You lost your faith and connection to the power within you," her voice resonated around us as she extended her hands towards me.

"The Nexus," I whispered, the word feeling both foreign and familiar on my tongue. It was as if something deep inside me was waking up, recognizing a truth I’d long forgotten. She nodded slowly, her eyes gleaming with a knowing intensity.

"You are a Vessel of the Nexus. A chosen one " she declared, each word hitting me like a shockwave.

My heart pounded in my chest, my thoughts spinning out of control. A Vessel? My knees felt weak, a cold sweat forming at the back of my neck as the weight of her words settled over me.

"A Vessel of the Nexus?" I echoed my voice barely a whisper.

The title felt heavy, like a burden I wasn’t ready to carry. What did it even mean? The implications swirled around me, dark and ominous, as if the ground beneath me was crumbling away.

She took a step closer, her presence overwhelming, yet there was something about her that felt… familiar.

"Yes," she confirmed, her smile widening as if she could sense my inner turmoil.

"You've always been more than you realized. Your power, your connection to the Nexus—it's been there all along, just waiting for you to accept it."

"But why now? Why here?" My voice trembled with urgency as I fought to keep my composure. The questions felt like they were clawing their way out of me, desperate for answers.

She studied me for a long moment as if weighing how much to reveal.

"Maybe it's because of where you were hidden from me—Rust Town, the land where dreams are stifled," she finally said, her voice laced with something I couldn’t quite place—regret? Or was it resentment?

I blinked, trying to make sense of her words. Hidden? Dreams stifled? My thoughts were a tangled mess, each one trying to make sense of the puzzle she’d just dropped in my lap. But beneath the confusion, something else stirred—recognition, a vague sense that this wasn’t new to me at all.

"Somehow, your path has led you back to me," she continued, her tone softening as she stepped closer. The words sent a chill down my spine. There was something inevitable in her voice, as if this moment had been written long before I’d even understood who I was.

Her proximity was electrifying, and I could feel the energy radiating off her. Up close, she appeared almost ghostlike, struggling to maintain a solid form. Her gaze was intense, unsettling, as if she saw me as nothing more than a prize.

She took a deep breath, inhaling deeply as if savoring my presence, it sent shivers down my spine—more from discomfort than the biting cold. All I wanted was to leave this place, to find Rav and Dad, and to bring them back home with me.

I closed my eyes as her whisper tickled my ear, “I can’t wait to see what we will become.”

Her words seemed to hang in the air, twisting around me like a fog. The darkness began to blur, but instead of a sudden shift, the world around me slowly started to unravel, the edges of my vision shimmering with an otherworldly light.

The cold air of the dark realm faded replaced by the faint hum of machinery. My ears picked up the soft, rhythmic beeping of the lab’s equipment, grounding me in the present. The scent of metal and ozone filled my nostrils, pulling me further away from that shadowy realm.

When I opened my eyes, I was no longer in that eerie void but standing in the familiar surroundings of the lab. The reflective surface of the window caught my gaze, showing me a face I knew was mine but felt somehow different—more alien. The echo of her voice still lingered in my mind, a haunting reminder of what I’d experienced.

Was that real, or just some trippy side effect of jumping through portals? The idea of it being real kind of freaks me out. I've barely scratched the surface of my past, something I've got in common with my adopted siblings.

I’ve never really asked Dad about where I came from or tried to piece together the blurry edges of my childhood memories. It was easier not to—easier to just be happy with the home he and Simon gave me, to pretend that the gaps didn’t matter. But now… now I’m not so sure. Was I too scared to ask? What if the answers were something I wasn’t ready to hear?

A flicker of guilt gnaws at me. Maybe I should have asked questions sooner, and pressed for details, even if it meant disrupting the fragile chaotic peace we’ve built. I’ve always wanted to believe that I belonged, that my past didn’t define me. But whether that encounter was a hallucination or something more, it feels like a nudge—or maybe a shove—to start digging into the truth.

The idea of confronting Dad about it makes my stomach twist. What if he’s been keeping things from me? What if the truth changes everything? How do I even bring this up?

“Hey, Dad, just wondering if you might know why I’m a host for a supernatural entity. Pass the toast?” I try to laugh it off, but the anxiety lingers beneath the surface.

This isn’t just about my past—it’s about who I am, and who I might become. And that scares the hell out of me.

I sigh, forcing the thoughts aside. They can wait until after I’ve finished here. I check out the metal in the chamber; it’s smooth now, prepped, and ready to be turned into a portal device. Another step closer to Dad. Whatever secrets he’s kept, whatever truths I’ve ignored, saving him is the one thing I know I have to do.

I shake my head, snapping myself out of it. There’s no time to let creepy dark realm echoes throw me off. I’ve got a portal to build, a dad to save, and an island to ditch for good.

I grab the metal, flinching from the static shock off its surface, and stuff it into my pocket. As I stride toward the exit, the door slides open with a soft hiss, revealing a tall figure standing just outside.

He’s leaning casually against the wall, but there’s something calculated about his posture like he’s been waiting for this exact moment. My steps slow, and I can’t help but feel a prickle of unease creep up my spine.

The corridor is busy with people rushing past, but he stands out—a calm island in the middle of a storm. Who is this guy? And why is he just… waiting there? My mind races, assessing the situation. Is he a threat? An ally? Or something else entirely? I can’t shake the feeling that this isn’t a coincidence.

He notices my hesitation and brushes a lock of long hair away from his face, offering me a stiff smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Hi, I'm Darren Jones,” he says, his voice carrying a forced cheerfulness that sets my nerves on edge. “You must be the new chosen one.”

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Mr. Hair Flip is giving me the look like he expects me to be wowed or something.

“Okay, cool... nice to meet you, Darren Jones,” I mutter, already turning to leave.

“Gotta run though.”

But he's quick, and blocks my way, and that kind of bugs me. “You were at the Waning festival, right?” he leans casually against the wall.

“Uh, yeah,” I say, looking past him, hoping he gets the hint.

He flicks his hair back. “Such a... tragedy.” I can’t help but scoff as I watch everyone else in the hallway just going about their business, totally unfazed. Seems like he’s the only one playing the concerned citizen.

“You were there?” I probe, just to keep the conversation going.

“Yeah,” he straightens up and puffs out his chest like he’s someone important.

“Look, Darren...Jones,” I cut in, trying to be polite but seriously needing to leave.

“I really gotta go.” I attempt to step around him, but he shifts, blocking my path with a smooth, almost practiced movement. It’s subtle, but it sets off alarm bells in my head. The student walking by gives him a small bow of respect, and Darren barely acknowledges it, his focus entirely on me.

“I just thought maybe you could use some help getting settled,” he says, his tone casual but his eyes a little too intent. “Be your mentor, show you the ropes.”

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I hesitate, caught off guard by the offer. There’s something about the way he says it that feels more like a proposition than a simple offer of help.

“I’m good, thanks. Already have a mentor of sorts,” I reply, but my curiosity gets the better of me.

“Why the interest?”

Darren smirks, but this time it feels more calculated.

“I come from a High family. My mom’s the High Commander, my dad’s—” He pauses, letting the sentence hang as if waiting for me to ask. When I don’t, he flicks his hair back, a gesture that feels almost rehearsed, and continues, “—well, let’s just say he’s got influence.”

I narrow my eyes, sensing there’s more he’s not saying. “We’ve already got one of those around here. Someone high up.”

Darren’s smirk falters, replaced by a flicker of something else—annoyance, maybe. “The shadow manipulator?”

That catches my interest. “You know him?”

Darren leans in, lowering his voice as if he’s about to share a secret. “Zeb Raynes. I’d be careful around him and his family,” he says, his words slow and deliberate.

“The Raynes are right up there after the Black Raven. Nothing comes without strings with them.”

I freeze as I consider his warning. Zeb, the shadow manipulator. He has been an ally but I can’t help but feel a nagging feeling, like he is hiding something. But the devil I know..

“And your strings are any different?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady. But there’s a tightness in my chest, and I can’t help but wonder what Darren’s game is.

He smirks, flicking his hair back again, but this time it feels more calculated like he’s trying to gauge my reaction.

“No, but mine are easier to handle. Just looking for friendship,” he says,

I narrow my eyes, every instinct screaming at me to be cautious.

“Why?” The question comes out sharper than I intended, but I don’t care. I need to know where this is going.

Darren’s smirk fades slightly, replaced by a more serious expression. He leans in even closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper.

“Because you’re a vessel. We’re rare, need to stick together.”

My breath catches, and a cold shock runs through me. Vessel. The word echoes in my mind, pulling me back to that twisted double in the dark realm. How does he know? My thoughts race, but I can’t afford to let him see how rattled I am. I force myself to stay still, to not give anything away, but inside, I’m scrambling for answers. What the hell is happening here?

“By your reaction... you don’t know?” He looks genuinely surprised. “Odd. The Vessel program is pretty intense, very... invasive.” He eyes me, lingering a bit too long.

“Take off your mask,” he suddenly demands, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. The words hit me harder than I expected, and for a moment, I freeze.

The mask has always been my shield, my barrier between the world and the parts of me I’m not ready to share. In Rust Town, everyone knows what a mask signifies—protection, anonymity, survival. The idea of taking it off here, now, makes my stomach churn.

“Uh, no can do,” I shoot back.

He nods like he’s figured it all out. “Ah, Rust Town, right.?”

He steps a bit closer, and I instinctively back up. “But don’t you want to know who you are?”

His hand hovers near the mask covering the lower half of my face, and I gently smack it away.

I know who I am,” I respond, my voice firm even though my heart is racing. I try to step around him again, but this time he doesn’t move to block my path. Instead, he just watches me, a smirk playing on his lips, as if he’s satisfied with what he’s learned.

“Good,” he says softly, almost to himself. “But remember, Claire, the more you think you know, the less you do.”

His words send a shiver down my spine, but I force myself to keep moving. I don’t look back, but I can feel his eyes on me, following every step I take. There’s no relief, only a gnawing sense that this isn’t over—not by a long shot.

I take a moment, leaning against the cool glass wall to steady myself. Darren’s words echo in my mind—Vessel. Why did he seem so certain? And how does he know so much about me?

My instincts flare up, but I push it aside. I don’t have time to dwell on this right now.

I straighten up, my thoughts still spinning as I finally stride away from the encounter, determined to put some distance between us.

Holographic screens flicker in and out around me, flashing university updates.

Emo-tech for optimal Nexus channeling, one reads.

I scoff, recalling the terror during the Waning festival. No thank you

I quicken my pace, hustling past an open classroom where students lie reclined, eyes shut in a virtual lesson. The quiet is unnerving, the stillness oppressive. I swear I can feel Darren’s presence lingering behind me.

"Creepy much?" I mutter, edging past the too-still figures.

The walls are lined with greenery that shifts from white to red as I move past. A bad omen if there ever was one. My instincts flare—something’s wrong. Sweat slicks my palms, and I wipe them on my pants, picking up the pace. I need to get the hell out of here.

I hear one of the students grunt and he jumps up suddenly, making me curse. The air thickens, heavy and hard to breathe as energy surges around us. His breathing turns ragged; his eyes snap to a deep, ominous black, and his lips twist into a chilling grin.

But just as quickly, the grin fades into a scowl. His face hollows, his hands wither like dried fruit. I scream in horror and bolt, leaving the still-sleeping, oblivious students behind.

“It’s happening again,” I gasp, my voice trembling

Catching my reflection in the windows, I see her—my evil double from the dark realm, smirking back at me despite the stark terror in my eyes. Her neck is marked with a red, bruised ring as if strangled. Instinct kicks in; I activate my MorphRing, and armor coils around my legs, energizing them with a surge of power.

Before I can sprint away, Darren materializes in front of me—or maybe he's just that fast.

He takes a deep breath, and as he exhales, something shifts. His eyes darken, the usual light in them snuffed out, replaced by an ominous black void. The veins around his neck bulge and darken, twisting like shadows under his skin.

"Ah... there it is," he says, his voice a low growl that sends chills down my spine.

"This realm... this power... I’ve waited so long to feel it again."

His voice isn’t right. It’s distorted, twisted, like two voices speaking at once—Darren’s and something far more sinister.

A cold dread creeps up my spine as I realize what’s happening. This isn’t Darren anymore. Something else is inside him, warping his mind and body. This could be a possession, or maybe some advanced form of Mindshifting.

He steps closer, and I’m paralyzed by fear. My mind screams at me to move, but my legs refuse to obey. I need to get out of here before whatever’s taken over Darren decides it wants me too.

His hands graze my face, yanking the mask away. I jerk back, fear spiking through me. Before I can react, his fingers clamp around my throat, pulling me closer with terrifying strength.

I struggle, my feet slipping on the slick floor, trying to break free as his cold breath brushes against my skin. His face is twisted into a sneer, inches from mine, his eyes gleaming with sick delight.

Desperately, I channel the armor to my fist and swing at his face. But he's quicker, catching my hands mid-swing. His grip around my throat tightens, his eyes gleaming with twisted joy as I gasp for breath, fighting to break free.

"Feels good, doesn't it? Pain is such a fleeting thing," He says as he watches my reactions.

His fingers dig in deeper as his lips curl into a mocking smile.

“You don’t get it, do you? Pain, fear—they’re gifts. Embrace them."

My mind flashes to the students, unaware of the nightmare they’re waking up to—will they even have a chance if I fail?

Suddenly, alarms blare through the room, startling the dozing students awake. Darren glances around as the students start to slowly panic, his smirk never fading.

Danger detected. All beginner and intermediate students, proceed to the nearest exit portals, the announcement repeats, its urgency slicing through the chaos.

In that split second, I see my chance, one opening. Seizing the distraction, I summon all my strength and land a solid punch to his throat. He staggers back, releasing me and clutching at his neck, surprise flickering across his features.

Relief floods through me, but it’s fleeting—there’s no time to celebrate. I’m scared out of my mind, every instinct screaming at me to run, to survive. But I can’t just think of myself. These people—they’ll die if I don’t do something. With quick thinking, I morph my armor into a blade and slash at his heels, bolting past him.

His laugh, sick with delight, sends chills down my spine. Darren—or whatever this thing is—has lost his mind.

A sickening thud pulls my attention, and my stomach churns as I see a student’s lifeless body crumpled at my feet, their skin shriveled and ashen, as if every drop of life has been drained from them. My breath catches in my throat—this isn’t just another victim. This happened because of me.

"Run, and I'll just have to take more," Darren’s voice, twisted and distorted, cuts through my horror, freezing me in place

"Fuck, fuck," I curse under my breath, every instinct screaming at me to flee, to survive this nightmare.

I look at the unfortunate person, their body now nothing more than a lifeless husk of skin. I can't be responsible for someone becoming like that.

I slowly turn but make sure my armor is ready, my fist and legs wrapped with the charged flexi metal. I glance at his slashed heels, they are healed up. I didn’t slow him down. Shit.

Darren’s eyes gleam with twisted amusement as he lifts a whimpering male student by the throat, holding him up like a toy. The student’s terrified gaze meets mine, and I feel a pang of guilt. I should be able to stop this. I have to.

“You have my attention. Let him go” I try to keep my voice steady but my nerves betray me

“Good choice,” Darren murmurs, his voice dripping with mockery as he glances back at me. With a casual flick of his wrist, he tosses the student aside, sending him crashing to the ground. The student scrambles to his feet and dashes off, but the relief is short-lived.

Before I can react, Darren is in front of me, moving so fast I barely register the blur of motion. His icy grip closes around my throat, cutting off my breath in an instant.

I gasp, instinctively clawing at his hand, but it’s like trying to break free from iron shackles. Panic surges through me, and I squeeze my eyes shut, wishing desperately that Rav was here to bail me out.

“You’re a vessel,” he breathes, a sick satisfaction in his voice. He leans close, inhaling deeply, his breath scorching against my skin. I want to scream, but fear holds me still.

“So much power,” he whispers, his words a dark promise.

“Just what I need.”

The air becomes suffocating as the horrifying truth hits me—whatever’s inside Darren is trying to take my body. Dizziness overtakes me, the room blurring as my breathing grows shallow. I can’t let him take control.

My limbs feel heavy, almost numb, as I summon every ounce of strength left in my body. My heart pounds so hard it echoes in my ears, drowning out rational thought.

"Please... Darren, fight it!" His laugh is cold and hollow, chilling me to the bone.

"Snap out of it! You don’t want my scrawny body," I plead, desperation sharpening my voice.

For a second, something flickers in his eyes, a glimpse of the old Darren breaking through. His twisted smile falters, but it’s gone in an instant, replaced by that eerie black void.

He stares, his expression blank but oddly curious, as if I'm some puzzle he's figuring out.

"You're a fighter. I like that," he murmurs, licking his lips. The veins in his neck stand out, stark and black against his skin.

"You’ll be useful," he says, almost casually. I thrash against his grip, loathing the fact that I might become whatever monstrous thing he is. But it's like hitting a wall—he doesn’t even flinch. My energy fades with every second, my desperation peaking.

In the corner of my eye, a flash of movement catches my attention. It’s my reflection—only something’s off. The reflection doesn’t match my wild, desperate struggle; instead, it stares back at me, unnervingly calm, as if it knows something I don’t.

For a split second, I’m frozen, transfixed by the eerie calm in my reflection’s eyes. Then, its lips move—no sound, just a silent command that resonates in my mind, "Use your power. Shift his mind to your will."

Everything seems to slow down to a halt as my eyes are fixed on her.

"Shift his mind," the reflection commands again, its eyes burning into mine. The power it promises is so tempting, so close. But I’m teetering on the edge—give in, or lose myself completely.

I glance at Darren. His grip is iron-tight, and his eyes gleam with amusement. The air crackles with energy, feeding the darkness that’s taken him over. Something inside me snaps—I’m not going out like this.

Taking what feels like the first breath in ages, I nod at the reflection, she grins in understanding

Suddenly, it's like diving headfirst into an icy lake—the shock of cold snaps everything into laser-sharp focus. My body locks up, then releases, charged with a kind of raw power I've never felt before.

I lock eyes with Darren "Let. Me. Go." The words come out all twisted and dark, and it's freaky even to me. Darren falters, his fingers slackening, his face flipping from entertainment to pure shock. He's staring at his hands like they've betrayed him.

A sliver of energy escapes me as I speak, and it hits me. I might be what my nightmare twin claimed—a vessel, a real deal Mind Shifter. But there’s no time to process it. My instincts kick in, and I throw another command, this time at the force controlling Darren.

"Release Darren."

But it’s like I’ve poked a bear—Darren’s face twists in fury, veins popping like they're about to burst.

"No! I am not going back to the darkness" he snarls, and it's guttural, animalistic.

Shit.

Darren lunges forward, closing the gap with two quick strides, his fists aiming for my face. I sidestep just in time, the air whistling past as his punch misses by inches.

He throws more punches, each faster than the last. I twist and duck, barely dodging by a hair, but the effort is draining me.

Every missed strike sends a shockwave of energy through the air, shattering the windows behind me and cracking the toughened glass.

My legs feel like they’re moving through molasses, my lungs burning with every breath. One wrong move, and it’ll be my face smashing through that glass. Shit.

I’m scrambling for a chance to throw another command, but every burst of energy I pull to keep up drains me further. My muscles are on fire, and my strength is slipping away like sand through my fingers. I’m fading, fast, and I know I can’t keep this up much longer.

Before I have a chance to get a grip on this crazy new power, Darren’s fist comes barreling in from the left—a nasty hook gunning straight for my ribs. I jerk to the right, throwing my armored forearm to block it.

The blow shudders through my arm, rattling my bones. But that leaves my right side wide open, and bam—his other fist slams into my stomach like a hover truck. He follows with multiple blows to my other side with a final blow to my face.

I cough up blood, and crumple to the floor, the room spinning out of control. My limbs are lead, my eyelids dropping like they’re weighted.

I groan, using my armor to ease the stabbing pain in my stomach. With a desperate push, I crawl away from him, every inch a battle against the agony wracking my body.

It’s probably pointless, but I refuse to be an outlet for some sadistic entity. Gritting my teeth, I force myself to my feet, legs trembling as I try to run. Darren’s footsteps echo behind me, measured and calm like he knows I’m too weak to escape.

I push forward, spotting a portal flickering to life just ahead. It’s my only chance, slim as it is. I break into a desperate run, but before I can reach it, Darren materializes in front of me. I skid to a stop, my heart pounding in my chest as I stare at him in shock.

“Please,” I beg, my voice trembling.

“Snap out of it, Darren.” I take a shaky step back, eyes locked on the portal, praying for a miracle.

I take a defensive stance, my energy slowly waning, as I try to control my ragged breath.

Darren’s laugh echoes through the empty halls, cold and mocking. He pauses, glancing at his reflection in the cracked window, his voice a low sneer.

“He’s trying, but it’s useless.” His steps mirror mine, closing the distance with deliberate ease.

My heart sinks, the reality of what’s happening crashing over me like a dark wave. I’m losing this battle, and with it, I might lose everything I am.

“I’m in control and you’re next.” I shudder and he grabs my throat, his fingers slowly caressing the side of my neck.

“Give yourself to me” he commands in a distorted voice and immediately I freeze under his command.

I shake my head slowly as tears well up in my eyes. Darren slowly lifts his free hands and slowly strokes my hair. His eyes watch my reaction with an intensity that makes me want to disappear.

“I don’t want to lose myself,” I say my voice shaky.

“Don’t worry, you won’t. You will be one with me” he says in a low tone.

I will slowly cease to exist. My body will be inhabited by another consciousness, a fear I never thought I had. But despite my situation, a sudden calm washes over me, as if he is slowly taking over my emotions.

A creeping numbness spreads through my mind, dulling everything it touches. My memories start to slip away—Rav’s scowl, Simon’s knowing glance, Dad’s reassuring presence. They fade, one by one, until the emptiness digs deeper, tearing at the very core of who I am. I can feel myself unraveling, piece by piece.

I reach out mentally, trying to hold onto them, but they’re slipping through my fingers, dissolving into nothingness.

What will be left of me if they’re gone? A hollow shell? A puppet for this monster? The fear is suffocating, pressing down on me from all sides. The realization slams into me like a punch to the gut—I’m losing this battle. I’m losing myself.

Just as I’m about to let go, the room changes. The shadows, once still, begin to move, crawling along the floor and walls like living things. I blink, trying to focus, but the darkness is growing, swallowing the light.

My breath catches as I realize this isn’t just in my head—the entire room is changing, the atmosphere thickening like a storm about to break. The shadows gather in a corner, pooling together, and then they strike. A black spear whizzes past my face, so close I feel the wind of its passing.

I stand frozen, horror and awe warring within me as the spear slams into Darren with a sickening thud, pinning him against the wall. The force of the impact rattles the floor, and I watch in disbelief as blood oozes from the wound, staining the shadows around him.

The spear yanks itself free, like it has a mind of its own, and shoots back to its owner. I tear my eyes away from Darren’s crumpled form, my heart pounding, and there he is—Zeb, striding toward me with a calm that’s more terrifying than the violence he just unleashed. His shadow spear hovers beside him, an extension of the darkness that now seems to fill the room.

Zeb stops just a foot away, close enough that I can see the intense focus in his eyes as he stares down Darren as he tries to peel himself off the wall, veins bulging, growling like a cornered beast. Before he can make another move, shadows from the walls stretch out, twisting into thick chains that slam him back against the wall.

His voice is a low rumble, "Go. Portal. Southwest corner."

No need for him to say it twice. I try to stand, my legs shaky, feeling like I've run a marathon.

Zeb’s icy eyes meet mine, assessing my struggle with an impassive stare.

"Stand up. You’ll manage," he says, turning back to Darren without a second glance.

With that cold dismissal, he strides over to deal with the shadow-pinned monster.

I haul myself up, every ounce of energy spent as I push against the icy floor. My body trembles, like a leaf in a storm. Moving feels like wading through concrete, but Zeb’s cold command and the chaos around me spark something fierce. I force myself to stand, gripping a splintered table leg to stay upright.

The room’s gone wild, shadows whipping around like living things under Zeb’s command. Darren’s trapped in a nightmare, chained up and howling like a beast, battling against the dark tendrils that bind him.

Through the chaos, Zeb stands solid, a calm force in the storm, all his focus on wrangling what now seems less like Darren and more like a vessel for something far darker.

"Go!" Zeb says in a low but firm tone, not even glancing my way, his voice cutting clear across the clamor.

Gripping my sides, I stumble toward the portal Zeb mentioned, praying my famously bad sense of direction doesn’t send me crashing into a wall. Each step jolts me with adrenaline.

The portal looms ahead, a swirling vortex of shadows, whipping the air into a freezing frenzy that stings my face as I approach

I steal one last glance back at the showdown—Zeb with his shadowy arsenal, Darren’s muffled roars, the alarms still screaming through the air.

I brace myself and jump through, the chill biting as I plunge into a vortex of shadows and then, suddenly, peace.

I stumble out the other side, crashing into a room lined with mirrors. Relief hits me like a tidal wave when I spot Rav, cross-legged and serene, lost in some deep mystical focus.

Safe, for the moment, I slump against the mirrored wall, sucking in deep, ragged breaths as the adrenaline fizzles out, leaving me hollowed out and spent.

“I need to get stronger,” I mutter, staring at Rav’s tranquil form.

The chaos isn’t over—it’s only just beginning. If I’m going to survive, if I’m going to protect the people I care about, I have to harness this new power before it consumes me.”.