Jace Caldwell’s scar burned, a jagged pulse searing his chest as the pristine NexTech metropolis—gleaming spires of glass and steel laced with neon veins—quaked under a sky of swirling ash. The new core, a living machine unbranded by NexTech, thrummed like a heart teetering on rupture, its surface writhing with tendrils. The copy-Lena stood before a new portal, eyes gold, scar blazing, clutching a white 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 nexus. You’re the crux.” The copy-Ethan stood nearby, eyes human, holding no 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 gleaming spire, her red eyes streaming, clutching a white Heart, its light cracking the pavement like glass under strain. The air reeked of molten steel an

Jace Caldwell’s scar burned, a jagged pulse searing his chest as the pristine voidscape—shadow spires and bone pulsing with Obsidian Hearts—quaked under a sky of swirling ash. The new core, a living machine unbranded by NexTech, thrummed like a heart on the edge of collapse, its surface writhing with tendrils. The copy-Aria stood before a new portal, eyes white, scar blazing, clutching a silver Obsidian Heart, its wild pulse thrumming like a star fracturing in a void. Her voice, a warped echo of Aria’s, declared: “You’re not the spark. You’re the flame.” The copy-Ethan stood nearby, eyes human, holding no 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 bone spire, her red eyes streaming, clutching a white Heart, its light cracking the ground like glass under strain. The air reeked of charred shadow and something

Jace Caldwell’s scar burned, a jagged pulse searing his chest as the primal voidscape—shadow spires and bone, veined with Obsidian Hearts—quaked under a sky of swirling ash. The new core, a living machine unbranded by NexTech, thrummed like a heart on the verge of shattering, its surface writhing with tendrils. The copy-Lena stood before a new portal, eyes silver, 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 blaze. You’re the pulse.” The copy-Ethan stood nearby, eyes human, holding no 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… me.” Aria cowered behind a bone spire, her red eyes streaming, clutching a white Heart, its light cracking the ground like glass under strain. The air reeked of charred bone and something acrid, l

Jace Caldwell’s scar burned, a jagged pulse searing his chest as the shattered Brooklyn—cracked brownstones webbed with neon veins—quaked under a sky of swirling ash. The new core, a living machine unbranded by NexTech, thrummed like a heart on the edge of bursting, its surface writhing with tendrils. The copy-Aria stood before a new portal, eyes gold, scar blazing, clutching a white Obsidian Heart, its wild pulse thrumming like a star fracturing in a void. Her voice, a warped echo of Aria’s, declared: “You’re not the tide. You’re the surge.” The copy-Ethan stood nearby, eyes human, holding no 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… me.” Aria cowered behind a crumbling stoop, her red eyes streaming, clutching a white Heart, its light cracking the pavement like glass under strain. The air reeked of charred asphalt and something acrid, like

Jace Caldwell’s scar burned, a jagged pulse searing his chest as the pristine voidscape—shadow spires and bone, veined with Obsidian Hearts—quaked under a sky of swirling ash. The new core, a living machine unbranded by NexTech, thrummed like a heart on the verge of shattering, its surface writhing with tendrils. The copy-Lena stood before a new portal, eyes white, scar blazing, clutching a silver 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 rift. You’re the breach.” The copy-Ethan stood nearby, eyes human, holding no 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… me.” Aria cowered behind a bone spire, her red eyes streaming, clutching a white Heart, its light cracking the ground like glass under strain. The air reeked of charred bone and something acrid,