Jace Caldwell’s scar burned, a jagged pulse ripping through his chest as NexTech’s neon-lit city trembled, the void-core—a massive machine, its surface etched with the company’s logo—pulsing like a diseased heart. Ethan lay wired to it, alive, his black eyes flickering, a silver Obsidian Heart embedded in his chest, its pulse a low thrum, like a storm trapped in iron. The white-eyed woman stood before the core, her scar blazing, holding a blacker-than-night Heart, her voice like a storm breaking: “You’re the sacrifice, Caldwell.” Lena Voss gripped Jace’s arm, her eyes human, tears cutting through blood-streaked grime, her betrayal still raw despite her whispered apologies. Aria, the young Marked girl, cowered behind a shattered spire, her red eyes streaming, clutching the fourth Heart’s shards. The air stung with the reek of molten steel and something acrid, like hope charred to ash. Jace’s Glock trembled, his heart a tangle of grief, rage, and doubt—Ethan’s wired form, Lena’s shak

Jace Caldwell’s scar burned, a jagged pulse ripping through his chest as NexTech’s neon-lit city quaked, the void-core—a massive, living machine etched with the company’s logo—pulsing like a heart ready to burst. The mirror-Lena stood before it, eyes white, scar blazing, her voice a twisted echo of Lena’s: “You’re not the pulse. I am.” Aria screamed, her small hands clutching a gold Obsidian Heart, its wild pulse cracking the ground, like a star fracturing under pressure. Ethan lay wired to the core, his black eyes flickering, a silver Heart embedded in his chest, his faint rasps barely human. Lena—the real Lena—gripped Jace’s arm, her eyes human, tears carving paths through blood-streaked grime, her redemption hanging by a thread. Azrael, the Void’s architect, loomed nearby, his void-black eyes glinting, the white Heart in his hand pulsing like a dying bone. The air reeked of molten steel and something sour, like loyalty charred to ash. Jace’s Glock trembled, his heart a snarl of

Jace Caldwell’s scar burned, a jagged pulse searing his chest as the ancient city—spires of bone pulsing with Obsidian Hearts—loomed under a sky of swirling ash. The silver-eyed child stood before a new portal, clutching a gold Heart, its wild pulse thrumming like a star fracturing in a void. The child’s voice, like a storm breaking, declared: “You’re not the key. You’re at the door.” Ethan stood nearby, unwired, eyes human, no Heart in his hands, his face raw with exhaustion, the brother Jace knew from Brooklyn stoops. Lena Voss, fully merged with her mirror-self, eyes flickering between human and white, scar blazing, stood rigid, her voice a haunting blend: “I’m the pulse.” Aria cowered behind a bone spire, her red eyes streaming, clutching the fourth Heart’s shards, her sobs muffled. The air reeked of charred bone and something sour, like hope ground into dust. Jace’s Glock trembled, his heart a snarl of grief, rage, and hope—Ethan’s return, Lena’s merge, the child’s chilling c

Jace Caldwell’s scar burned, a jagged pulse tearing through his chest as the mirror-Brooklyn—a warped version of his old neighborhood, all cracked brownstones and neon veins—shuddered under a sky of swirling ash. The new core, a living machine unbranded by NexTech, pulsed like a heart on the verge of bursting, its surface alive with writhing tendrils. His mirror-self stood before it, eyes black, scar blazing, clutching a gold Obsidian Heart, its pulse a wild thrum, like a star fracturing in a void. The mirror’s voice, a twisted echo of Jace’s, declared: “You’re not the lock. You’re the void.” The copy-Ethan stood nearby, eyes human, holding a silver Heart, voice raw: “Jace, I’m the truth.” Lena Voss, merged with her Shroud-possessed mirror-self, eyes flickering between human and white, stood rigid, her voice a haunting blend: “I’m the pulse.” Aria cowered behind a warped stoop, her red eyes streaming, clutching a white Heart, its light cracking the pavement like glass under strain

Jace Caldwell’s scar burned, a jagged pulse searing his chest as the hybrid city—a twisted fusion of bone spires and neon veins—quaked under a sky of swirling ash. The new core, a living machine unbranded by NexTech, pulsed like a heart ready to rupture, its surface writhing with tendrils. The copy-Lena stood before a new portal, eyes white, scar blazing, clutching a gold Obsidian Heart, its wild pulse thrumming like a star fracturing in a void. Her voice, a warped echo of Lena’s, declared: “You’re not the spark. You’re the flame.” The copy-Ethan stood nearby, eyes human, holding a silver Heart, voice raw: “Jace, I’m the truth.” Lena Voss, merged with her Shroud-possessed mirror-self, eyes flickering between human and white, stood rigid, her voice a haunting blend: “I’m the pulse.” Aria cowered behind a neon-laced spire, her red eyes streaming, clutching a white Heart, its light cracking the pavement like glass under strain. The air reeked of charred bone and something acrid, like