The grand dining hall of the Richmond Estate sparkled like a galaxy of gold and crystal. Long chandeliers hung from the high marble ceiling, pouring warm light over a giant table carved from dark oakwood. Soft classical music drifted through hidden speakers, and the air smelled of sweet wine, roasted meat, and fresh roses.The plates were silver. The glasses shimmered. The food? It was luxury on every level.At the head of the high table, two men sat like kings.Daniel Richmond, the young head of the Richmond family, was dressed in a navy-blue designer tuxedo. His black hair was slicked back, and a subtle diamond pin glowed on his chest. Though only in his mid-twenties, Daniel looked as calm and sharp as a seasoned emperor.Beside him sat Vincent Arceneaux, leader of the mysterious and now extremely wealthy Arceneaux family. He wore a dark brown suit with golden embroidery that caught the light every time he moved. His eyes were pale gray, and his face—though handsome—still held s

Jayden stood quietly by the back door of the transport van. The sky was grey, and the wind carried a strange smell—like metal and burned plastic. Ten of the Orion Dynamics staff were being moved today. Each of them had been affected by the hex. They weren’t screaming or shaking. No, it was worse than that. They were too quiet. Eyes open, but blank. Like the lights were on, but no one was home.Two security bots carefully lifted one of the staff members onto a hover-stretcher. The man’s name tag said “E. MARGO,” but he didn’t blink, speak, or move. His body was stiff. His fingers were curled like he was still typing something on a keyboard that wasn’t there.Jayden turned to the medic. “How many more?”“Two inside the east wing,” the man answered. “They’re not violent, just... not right.”Jayden nodded. “Get them all scanned. Full neurophase run.”The mental health facility was only a few miles from the Orion Headquarters. But the ride felt long. Jayden sat in the front of the van, s

The brewery smelled of yeast and rain-soaked metal. Giant fermenters lined the walls, their copper bellies were humming with quiet energy. Occasional hisses of pressure escaped into the air like exhaled breaths, echoing softly through the vast, steel-framed space.Workers moved through the facility in practiced rhythm—gloved hands were checking gauges, tightening valves, rolling barrels into place. A forklift beeped in the distance, weaving between pallets stacked with sealed bottles. Boots clanged on the metal walkways above as a technician inspected the filtration line, nodding to himself as readings held steady.Outside, rain continued its steady fall, tapping against the wide skylights and sliding down fogged glass panels. It tried to wash the world clean, but the gray hue lingering in the air said it hadn’t succeeded yet.Despite the motion, the brewery felt... muted. The usual clatter and banter were replaced by hushed conversations and tightened faces. Like everyone could f

Jayden stepped off the old transit tram into the dusty heat of South Expanse. The underground zone smelled of rust, warm circuits, and ozone. Pipes hissed above him as neon signs flickered across cracked walls. This part of the Westwood city was long forgotten—unless you were chasing ghosts or building miracles.He walked through a narrow alley, then down a rusted stairwell. The walls were wet with old condensation, and cables hung like vines. At the bottom, a sliding door buzzed faintly with static. The plaque read: SIM-CORE VAULT 12: ACCESS RESTRICTED.Jayden placed his palm against the scanner. “Marvin Richmond. Code 7-alpha.”That's right, the scanner had recognised him.The lock blinked green. The door slid open with a low groan, revealing a dim corridor lit by violet LED strips embedded in the walls. The temperature dropped a few degrees. Jayden pulled his coat tighter and stepped inside.Inside the core chamber, a tall woman in a dark blue coat looked up from a row of glowi

The underground scanner room at Orion Dynamics was dim and filled with machines. Dr. Helena stood in front of glowing monitors. Jayden stood beside her, looking at data. Carl Bowen and Stella Orion watched from the back. Two more team members, Mia and Rafi, sat at consoles, ready to type.Helena spoke softly: “We’ve found mental resonance spikes near Site Eleven in Sector R. That means Cognivault nodes are active there.”Jayden frowned. “Sector R… that’s on Westwood’s edge, near the industrial area. Security is heavy.”Rafi looked at his screen and pointed. “Here—these coordinates, latitude 12.345, longitude −6.789. The resonance just jumped. It’s big.”Helena nodded. “Those match what I saw before. Vincent Arceneaux is planting nodes there—probably tied to command systems in local networks.”Mia leaned forward. “Something strange happened. The comm AI—my voice assistant—speaks in Vincent’s tone for a moment.”Jayden raised an eyebrow. “Explain.”Rafi suddenly looked dazed. “I—I’m th