Nexus Veil reactivated in a shimmer of gold. Thin filaments wove across Elijah and Lyra's visors as they stood shoulder to shoulder in the vast core chamber. Heat radiated from the reactor banks around them. Arcs of violet neon illuminated their faces sharply. Sparks floated like embers on the floor, highlighting corroded valves and leaking pre-Neonspire conduits that twisted overhead like glowing serpents.
[Nexus Veil Active; Cloak from neural lockout 45s - Cost: 10 IP]
Elijah flicked his wrist, pulling the HUD back to life. A new option shone beneath the tether glyph: Core Sync; joint overdrive to stabilize the core.
[New Skill Unlocked: Core Sync; Stabilizes fractured core at high CPU. Cost: 8 IP]
Shade's mechanical voice broke in, sharp and biting. "Overdriving a nuclear reactor of data? Hope you have a warranty for your brain." Elijah smirked as he entered the command.
Lyra reached for his wrist. Beneath the golden glow, their systems merged. Silver Cipher streams weaved through violet arcs, wrapping around trembling code structures. The reactor hummed, tension vibrating overhead.
"Let's sync this core or watch Neonspire's heart implode," Lyra said softly, her breath warm against his neck.
The huge core pulsed with instability. Sparks shot from damaged AI cores and twisted conduits, wiring old data into chaotic loops.
Elijah focused on the Core Sync. Violet arc lines swept through the facility, latching onto broken data strands and repairing code fractures.
[−8 IP]; [ +6 IP: Core Stabilization Phase 1 ]
Neon veins of pre-Neonspire data flickered around them, glowing white-hot in places. The reactor's rhythm steadied—briefly.
But beneath the surface, rogue interference was corrupting the flow. Their HUDs identified a new threat: Valis Rehn—a rogue hacker who had disrupted the expo earlier. His sabotage code had found its way here.
Through the shower of sparks, a figure stepped forward. Valis was tall, lean, and wore a tattered black coat lit with holo-patches. He held a data-node device marked with Apex insignia.
"Elijah, Lyra," he rasped, his voice echoing off the neon walls. "I'm helping… or not. It depends on whose side I choose."
He slapped the node on the console, and code surged through the core's systems like snakes.
[Warning: Code Integrity Compromised; Data Injection Detected]
Elijah clenched his jaw. "Valis—why?"
Valis's crooked smile showed no remorse. "I am—but only until Victor's grip tightens. Then I'll have to break you too."
The third arc of Core Sync flared. Lyra's Cipher spun shielding lines, blocking Valis's wave of corruption while violet arcs deflected it.
[+4 IP: Rogue Code Neutralized]
Valis stiffened. "Nice trick—looks like you've learned a thing or two."
Elijah bristled. "You should have given us the clean code."
Valis laughed darkly. "And be your sidekick? No thanks."
Through the static and neon haze, drones slipped in. Kael's voice crackled through:
"Victor's tether makes you his puppet, Kane—dance until he cuts the strings."
Valis twisted, launching another pulse of code, but a drone bolt tore it apart.
[+3 IP: Drone Intercepted Hacking Attempt]
Lyra gasped as a bolt grazed her shoulder, sparks flying. Elijah grabbed her, their bodies pressing together amid glowing arcs.
Elijah turned his back, shielding Lyra just as a swarm of drones descended. Nexus Veil flickered but held firm. He shouted through the static, "Stay low!"
Lyra risked her Cipher. Instead of powering Core Sync, she redirected code to strengthen Veil around him, her hand brushing against his. Her breath was sharp against his jaw.
He replied with a sly grin. "You're reckless."
"Only for you," she whispered.
Their systems hummed in rhythm—their pulses syncing behind the glow.
[System Compatibility 90%; Deepened Core Bond]
[+3 IP: Emotional Resonance Boost]
He pressed his shoulder against the next drone—sparks erupted.
They returned to the reactor console, sweat and neon dust clinging to them. Core Sync flickered, dangerously high.
Elijah whispered: "All in?"
Lyra nodded, her lips trembling, eyes shining. She tapped the interface, silver-rune shockwaves blasting outward as violet arcs fed into them.
Together, they funneled system energy into the reactor. The core roared, conduits quaked, and for a moment, everything froze.
[+5 IP: Final Core Sync Completed]
[Core Stable at 75% Integrity]
They collapsed against each other as the tall columns of pre-Neonspire code pulsed in acceptance. Sparks slowed, conduits glowed warmly, and the reactor thrummed with new life.
But their moment of success was fleeting.
Lyra's console flashed a name: ECHO-013 Memory; Origin Revelation.
On the holo-screen, Victor appeared in a collapsing lab, his face shadowed, holding the dying hand of a figure—a creator of the tether. Data ribbons fanned out as instabilities pulsed. "The tether is born," he murmured. "Your life commands eternity."
The lab went up in flames. The dying creator—a face strikingly similar to Elijah's—looked at Victor. "May your chains be your undoing."
Elijah clenched his fist, rage and neon fire igniting in his chest. Victor didn't just steer events; he stole their souls. He pressed a command to access the memory.
Avian static echoed, followed by another alert:
"Warning: Tether Resonance Detected; External Override Initiated by Unknown Source"
The chamber's lights flickered, Core Sync unraveling with raw code whips.
Elijah and Lyra rose, arms around each other. Sweat stung his eyes; neon light reflected in her hair.
"We either break this tether, or it breaks us."
She met his gaze. "Together."
They faced the core chamber—reactor stable, vault behind them heating up, override signals firing. Drones circled.
Nexus Veil flickered again, the last line of defense holding but weakening.
They raised their hands together.