The city's calm was fragile, almost deceptive. Kael, still recovering from the strain of neutralizing the catalyst, felt the pulse of the Nexus flare violently. The Null commander's presence returned, stronger, more deliberate, their energy signature unmistakable.
"They're escalating," Aria warned, her holographic interface highlighting multiple points of disruption across the city. "It's no longer just corrupted minions. Entire nexus nodes are being targeted simultaneously. If they succeed, the energy backlash could collapse entire districts—and destabilize adjacent realities."
Ryken's hands tightened around his weapon. "Figures. They don't give up. Neither do we. Time to show them what we're made of."
Kael felt the familiar surge in his chest—the Nexus thrumming in resonance with the city's pulse—but this time, the feedback was harsher, more intrusive. Every attempt to extend his energy met with resistance, as if the Null commander were twisting the very fabric of the flow against him.
Veyra's shadowed form materialized beside him. "This is your reckoning, Kael. The Null commander is forcing the Nexus to reveal its limits. You must maintain equilibrium. Overextension will fracture more than just your body—your mind, the city, even this reality may suffer."
Kael's jaw tightened. The commander's new strategy was devastating in its simplicity: spread corruption across multiple nodes, force Kael to divide his focus, and exploit any lapse. He felt the strain in every pulse, every thought, every attempt to stabilize the city's energy. The stakes had escalated beyond anything he had faced.
"Flow with me," Veyra urged. "Anticipate, do not react. Control, not force. Every step you take must be deliberate."
Kael inhaled sharply, centering himself. Every beat of his heart synced with the Nexus currents, every fluctuation a warning. The Null commander's shadows twisted violently, striking with precision designed to break concentration. But Kael adapted, bending the energy around him, diverting the corrupted pulses into controlled channels.
Yet even as the first wave was stabilized, Kael could sense the growing strain—his mark flickering, the edges of perception warping, whispers of alternate realities bleeding into his consciousness. The battle had only just begun.