Two hours had passed before the operation finally ended.
Amon's eyes, previously closed as he lay unconscious on the surgical table, fluttered open. His vision swam for a moment, the world still a blur. The doctor's voice reached his ears, but the sound was muffled, distorted-as though underwater. Slowly, his hearing returned, and so did the familiar sting of exhaustion that weighed on both his body and mind.
Then-
[Dark NEXUS System initiating integration with NEXUS...]
[Failed - NEXUS rejects the system]
[Recalibrating...]
[Re-engaging integration...]
[Failed - NEXUS rejects the system]
[Scanning for issues...]
[Detecting soul of individual "Ezeikel Caine"]
[Erasing existence of entity named "Ezeikel Caine"]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[Success]
[Re-engaging System integration with NEXUS...]
[Failed - NEXUS rejects system]
[Scanning issues...]
[Remnant soul of individual "Void" attempting to overtake body]
[Erasing individual...]
[Success]
[System re-engaging integration...]
[Success]
[Dark NEXUS System successfully integrated with Host's NEXUS]
[Scanning host file data...]
[Name: Amon]
[Age: 18]
[Race: Pseudo-Human]
[Fame: N/A]
[NEXUS Type: Hexacaust]
[Status: Alive]
[NEXUS Lvl.: -]
[NEXUS Abilities]
1: -
2: -
3: -
Panels of glowing text sparked to life in front of Amon's half-lidded eyes, the holographic interface reflecting faintly against his pupils. But his mind was still hazy. Drowsiness clung to him like lead. If not for the doctor shaking his shoulder, he might've drifted right back into unconsciousness.
"Wake up, kid. Your guardians are waiting."
The voice snapped him out of his daze.
Amon blinked blearily toward the glass walls of the station, spotting three familiar silhouettes waiting outside-Helios, Cypher, and Gold. Cypher waved cheerfully, her usual grin intact, while Helios and Gold stood firm and composed, professionalism practically radiating off them.
"Ugh..." Amon yawned and sat up with effort. His body felt like it had been drained of everything useful-energy, strength, willpower. The doctor handed him a sleek, metallic walking stick to help him move.
"Take this. You'll need it for at least a few hours."
Amon accepted it wordlessly, his balance still wobbly. Gold stepped forward the moment Amon exited the station, silently helping him walk. There was no pity in his expression-only quiet efficiency.
It wasn't surprising. The NEXUS drained more than just stamina. It consumed both body and mind to establish its connection. Most new hosts required at least a week to fully stabilize-whether they were geniuses, prodigies, or ordinary recruits. It didn't discriminate.
But Amon wasn't "most people." He was under the care of the Operative Division, and that came with... privileges.
As the group exited the Surgical Centre, Amon leaned against Gold's arm for support, his head heavy. By the time they reached the vehicle, he had already dozed off, resting his head on Cypher's lap as she idly brushed his hair aside.
"Cute kid," she murmured.
Helios didn't respond. Gold didn't either. But both allowed themselves a faint, shared smirk.
The ride back to headquarters was quiet-save for the low hum of the vehicle's engine and Amon's steady breathing.
Once they arrived at the Evanguade OHA Headquarters, they didn't return to Amon's assigned quarters. Instead, the group descended into the lower sectors of the HQ-levels that weren't on any public record.
Evanguade wasn't bound to a planet; it was a mobile city, an ark drifting across the void. Because of this, its headquarters extended deep below the surface decks. These "basement floors" were high-security zones-restricted to only elite Operatives and specialized personnel.
Lower-ranked agents, often addressed by numerical tags like Agent 406 or Agent 004, were forbidden entry here. But higher Operatives-those with distinctive code names like Helios, Cypher, and Gold-had access to everything beneath.
As they passed through the checkpoints, several other Operatives greeted them with respectful nods. Cypher waved casually in response, Helios acknowledged with a curt nod, and Gold-as always-remained silent. The group didn't linger.
Eventually, they reached a sealed chamber. Inside, three tall, glass-like tubes lined the wall, each surrounded by intricate machinery that emitted a faint bluish glow.
Helios gestured toward one of them. Without a word, Gold carried Amon inside and gently placed him into the chamber.
Cypher approached the control panel, her fingers already dancing across the holographic interface. "How long was it again?"
"One week," Helios replied immediately.
"Hmm..." Cypher adjusted a few parameters, then muttered to herself. "One week in thirty minutes. That should do."
A soft hum resonated through the chamber as the settings locked in.
These devices weren't ordinary recovery pods. They were specialized Temporal Accelerated Healing Chambers-reserved for Operatives or high-value subjects whose recovery exceeded normal medical capability. Under normal circumstances, anyone unable to recover after a NEXUS implantation within a week risked permanent neural damage. These chambers reduced that recovery time dramatically.
Amon wasn't technically a "special case," but the Operatives had made sure he'd receive exceptional treatment nonetheless. It wasn't standard procedure-it was a privilege.
Cypher adjusted the chamber's energy output, her expression softening as she gazed through the glass at Amon's sleeping form. "He's lucky," she said quietly. "Not everyone gets a chamber after surgery."
Helios crossed his arms, his tone steady but faintly approving. "He's got potential. We can't afford to waste it."
Gold, standing a few steps behind, gave a slight nod before speaking for the first time since they'd left the centre. "I'll take my leave."
Helios returned the nod. "Dismissed."
With that, Gold bowed slightly and exited the chamber, leaving Helios and Cypher behind.
For a long moment, the two Operatives stood in silence, the soft whirring of the chamber filling the room. Amon lay still inside, his face calm, unaware of the turmoil his existence had already stirred in the universe he'd fallen into.
Cypher finally broke the silence with a smirk. "You really think he's going to live up to your expectations, Helios?"
Helios didn't answer immediately. His eyes stayed fixed on the chamber as if trying to read something beyond the glass. "Expectations?" he murmured. "No. But I believe in potential. And that boy has it."
Cypher chuckled softly. "You haven't even seen him train yet, what do you mean potential?"
Helios exhaled through his nose, almost amused. "Just felt like he does. I'll judge once we begin, so don't start with whatever bullshit you've got ready to mess with my head."
Cypher raised both hands in mock surrender, grinning. "Fine, fine. I'll just make sure he doesn't die in there."
Helios gave a faint smirk. "That's all I ask."
The lights dimmed slightly as the chamber entered full synchronization mode. Time, for Amon, began to warp-his recovery accelerating exponentially. His mind and body, however, were about to face a new kind of trial.
And as the two Operatives watched from behind the glass, unaware of the ripples his survival would soon send across worlds, one thing was clear-Amon's story was only just beginning.