Suddenly, the ground beneath Kaelen and Mira began to tremble. The Architect's figure remained still, but the air around them seemed to crack, as if reality itself was breaking apart. The walls of the chamber shuddered, and strange symbols began to glow along the floor, shifting and pulsating like a living organism.
Mira stumbled back, her eyes wide with panic. "Kaelen, we have to stop this. Whatever it is, it's too powerful."
The Architect's voice echoed, now filled with cold malice. "You will never stop what is already set in motion. The Collective has already begun to absorb you. You cannot escape its reach."
Kaelen felt a sharp pain in his head, as if his very thoughts were being torn apart. It was as if the Architect's influence was reaching directly into his mind, twisting his memories, making him question everything. His hands shook as images flooded his vision—images of the Vigilant, the alien presence outside, the mysterious signals they had followed, and every decision he had made.
No. No, this wasn't him. These were not his thoughts.
"Kaelen!" Mira cried out, her voice snapping him out of the trance. "Fight it!"
The words brought him back to reality. The Architect was trying to break him, to force him into submission. But Kaelen wouldn't allow it. He had to resist.
His vision cleared, and he stood tall once more, the pain in his mind easing. Mira was beside him, her face filled with determination. She was struggling, too, but she was still fighting.
"We're not part of your Collective," Kaelen said, his voice strong. "We're not your pawns."
The Architect's form shifted, its voice growing colder, more distant. "You may think you resist, but resistance is futile. You are already one with us."