Chronicles of the Dual Nexus

Peace following the Nexus Core stabilization created a moment of suspended breath. Elias collapsed against the temple floor where he remained in a weak state because of both physical exhaustion and emotional burden from their unsuccessful actions. His mind experienced peace from the visions however their dark remnants remained attached to him as thin spider webs. Elias removed the sweat from his forehead while scattering dust onto his features before he looked at Lyra. Under the dim lighting her usual brisk attitude faded and she appeared exhausted while she stayed by his side.

She spoke her words with wavering tone. "Neo-Arcadia's safe. For now."

Elias made an attempt to laugh but his cough broke through instead. "Doesn't feel like it." Running had left him with chest pain along with other discomforts. A door inside his mind seemed to have formed after the Fragments delivered visions which showed his crumbling destination and its screaming residents and the empty eyes of the Veil warriors.

Lyra maintained a short distance from Elias's shoulder as she hesitated to touch him. She pointed to his bleeding cut on his arm which he had overlooked until she spoke. She placed her sleeve against his bleeding wound with more force than needed as though her touch served to stabilize both of them.

He mumbled a response while keeping his gaze elsewhere.

"Don't mention it." She paused. "I can still see it inside your mind." The city. The warrior."

He stiffened. "It's nothing."

"Elias." Her voice sharpened. "We're in this together. I need to be aware of any distortion in your mental state caused by the Fragments.

He finally looked at her. His perception of fear in her eyes took him by surprise. Strategic awareness defined Lyra throughout her life because she remained unbreakable and smart. At this moment inside the temple her appearance gave off a youthful vibe despite the temple's trembling dim light. Human. He admitted to her with a low tone that the voices seemed to speak directly to him. The warrior stands as a genuine figure not only in his mind. They're real. And they're begging for help.

Lyra tried to respond when the ground beneath them began its violent shaking. Dust poured from the ceiling when the Nexus Core burst into flames while switching between violet and gold light. She took the Aether Fragment from the pedestal where its heat now burst into a dangerous frenzy. "The temple's collapsing! Move!"

The temple's walls emitted deep groans while they dashed for their lives. Through his burning lungs Elias saw the Veil warrior standing in the destroyed Neo-Arcadia with cracked armor while extending their hands. The warrior's voice rang out with unmasked grief to ask "You think you've saved them?" "The Collision has already begun."

"Elias, now!" Lyra saved him from harm as he barely escaped death when she pulled him to safety near the falling pillar.

The temple crashed into the open air while they escaped with hoarse breathing and the walls reduced to crumpled stone. Elias fell heavily against the boulder when his legs failed him. Lyra stopped next to him while struggling to breathe normally. "You okay?"

The sound of his voice revealed "Peachy" but his hands continued to vibrate uncontrollably.

She didn't smile. She retrieved the Fragment while its light created disfigured shapes on her face through the open air. "The Core's unstable. If it fails…"

Finishing his sentence he declared "All things will be destroyed by the Collision." "Yeah. I got the memo."

The valley wind blew icy air while releasing odors of ashes through its gusts. Lyra stiffened. "We're not alone."

Tall figures stepped forward out of darkness showing themselves as Veil Sentinels with stones in their armor which glowed with black magical power. The leader aimed a dangerous spear at Elias's neck while the tip of the weapon produced a foreboding hum. They spoke a strange mantra as their voice echoed like grinding stone saying "Surrender the Fragments." The Nexus remains forbidden to be connected.

Elias's pulse roared. Lyra had already started to move when he briefly looked at her as she slashed her ion-blade through the air. "Run!" she shouted.

His voice cut through the air as he shouted back at her while avoiding another Sentinel's attack. Elias felt his thigh burn as the Fragment in his pocket emitted intense heat through his pocket. Suddenly, time stuttered. Weak areas on the Sentinel's armor started showing through their slowing movements as visible damage spread from a joint fracture and wire damage. Without hesitation Elias threw a punch which struck with a horrible sound. The Sentinel dissolved into smoke.

The blade from Lyra's hand stopped its descent in midair. Can you perform that ability?

He puffed for breath while staring at his hands then responded with two simple words. An intense energy from the Fragment swirled under his skin and displayed powerful hunger. "But it's… not unhelpful."

Through their leader's parting words the Sentinels retreated into portals which swirled into existence before vanishing. The words of the Sentinel remained in the air as he vanished into smoke.

When Elias's body recovered from the surge of excitement his legs gave out. Lyra saved him from falling when she managed to place her arm across his waist. She noticed he felt hot to the touch when she checked his forehead with her hand.

The sentinel leader heard his muffled response while Elias pressed his body against Lyra. The odor of ozone and jasmine permeated her jacket although the scent seemed to vanish with the passage of her past life.

She didn't let go. "The Fragment's changing you. We need to figure out why. Before it…"

"Kills me?" He tried to smirk. "Optimist."

She didn't laugh. You will transform into an entity different from your original self before this process completes.

He fell silent. An oppressive reality settled in their midst just like the falling temple structure.

The city lights of Neo-Arcadia started to appear in front of them when Lyra activated her holographic display. A derelict orbital station pulsed red—the Eclipse Spire, a relic from the first Collision.

She whispered those words with a sense of quietness. If we fail to stop it then the end will mark the Eclipse Spire.

The holographic image before Elias showed the Spire's decaying structure alongside the destroyed metropolis from his visions. "We'll need a ship."

Without hesitation Lyra declared she would steal a spaceship.

He snorted. "Of course you will."

During that brief instant the situation seemed somewhat familiar to how things used to be. A faint vibration escaped from the Fragment while it remained in his pocket as the Veil warrior spoke these words: "You cannot save them both."

Elias clenched his jaw. Watch me.