Kael lay on his bunk, arm draped across his eyes.
It was well past lights-out, and the dorms had gone quiet — just the soft hum of the heating vents and the occasional creak of metal as someone turned in their sleep.
But Kael wasn't sleeping.
The faint warmth on his wrist had returned. Not painful. Not burning.
Just… present.
He stared at it now, watching as the black marking slowly shimmered, like ink under moonlight.
Then, without warning, the HUD returned.
Shadowy glyphs curved into his vision — no light source, no glass. Just mist and motion across the air.
[Nether Code System – Sync Active]
Phase I Stabilization Complete
User Access: Granted
Kael blinked.
"...Can you hear me?" he whispered.
"Loud and clear."
The voice came through smoothly, like it had always been there. Familiar, but clearer now — less echo, more presence.
"…Who are you?"
There was a pause. Then:
"Nathan. Nathan Codex. And technically… I'm you now."
Kael sat up slowly. "You're the old man."
"The dying one, yes. But not entirely. What's left of me lives here — in the Code. In you."
"We're… connected. Bound. Get used to it."
Kael's heart thudded.
He didn't feel different. Not really.
But hearing the voice again — giving itself a name — made it real.
"What do you want from me?"
"To live. Through you. To finish what I couldn't."
"And if you're smart… you'll want the same thing."
The HUD shifted. Panels opened in curved layers, written in cryptic symbols that Kael somehow understood. Like the meanings were being whispered straight into his brain.
[System Overview – Basic Sync]
– Training Mode: OFF
– Health Status: 71% (Fractured rib, strained leg, mild dehydration)
– Matter Level: 33/100
"Matter?" Kael asked.
"Your energy pool. Fuel for all Code-related functions. Every sync, copy, or pulse draws from it. Use too much, and you crash."
"Don't use any at all… and you stay weak."
Kael scrolled mentally, watching the interface shift. There was more — locked tabs, dimmed panels, system settings with words he couldn't pronounce.
But one glowed faintly:
[Training Mode – Passive Scan Ready]
"What does this do?"
"Helps you feel things others can't. When powers are near, when intent spikes, when something doesn't belong."
"Think of it as your early warning system — dull now, but it'll sharpen with use."
Kael exhaled slowly. It was overwhelming.
But not terrifying.
Not anymore.
"Why me?"
"Because you're the only one who didn't break."
Kael sat back against the wall, staring at his hand again.
The same hand that had once been useless. The same hand that had sparked.
Maybe… it could become something more.
"Sleep now," Nathan said. "You'll need it. Tomorrow… we start."