The city streets were quiet, deceptively so. Kael, Aria, Ryken, and Veyra had returned to their safehouse to regroup after the Null cell strike. Yet even in the calm, Kael felt it—a subtle vibration underfoot, the pulse of energy in the air, warped and unnatural. The Null Order was aware. They were coming.
"Something's off," Aria murmured, scanning the surrounding energy fluctuations. Her fingers danced over a portable console. "They're coordinating… larger, more powerful units this time. Not scouts. Not operatives. Someone else is leading them."
Ryken's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. "I don't like this. If they're sending reinforcements… we're walking into a trap."
Kael's mark flared in response to a surge of energy just outside the perimeter. It wasn't just the Null Order—this signature carried a familiar resonance, one he recognized from the whispers: a corrupted Revenant, warped and twisted by the Nexus itself.
Veyra's silver eyes glimmered. "They've unleashed one of their own against you," she said. "A Revenant who failed to control their power, consumed by corruption. And they will test not only your skill, but your resolve."
Kael's pulse quickened. He had trained, learned control, and fought Null operatives—but this would be different. The corrupted Revenant would match his abilities, anticipate his moves, and exploit his hesitation.
"Prepare yourselves," Veyra said, shadows stretching around her. "This is the trial you were warned about. You either master the Nexus fully—or fail."
Outside, the distorted silhouette emerged. The corrupted Revenant moved fluidly, shadows twisting around them, and their eyes glowed a malevolent crimson. Energy surged from their mark, clashing with Kael's in a visible shockwave, sending debris and dust scattering across the safehouse perimeter.
Kael's chest burned as the pulse intensified, his mark flaring brighter than ever before. The whispers urged him forward, but fear gnawed at the edges of his focus. This was no ordinary battle—it was a reflection of what he could become if he failed.