The corridors twisted and stretched like a maze, each turn and corner looking eerily similar to the last. The walls pulsed with a faint red glow, illuminating strange symbols that scrolled endlessly down their surfaces, symbols that seemed half machine code, half ancient script. Vex's instincts screamed that they were being watched, even though his HUD registered no immediate threats.
"Feels like a trap," he muttered, keeping his blade drawn as they advanced.
Nyx smirked, her gun ready in her hand. "Everything in the Nexus is a trap. It's just a matter of springing it the right way."
Vex shot her a sideways glance. "I have to ask—why exactly are you doing this? You don't seem like the type to risk your neck for a fragment or two."
She glanced at him briefly, her expression unreadable in the dim light. "Let's just say Echelon isn't just a rumor to me. It's real, and if the rumors are true, it's a place that can change everything."
He raised an eyebrow. "Change everything? Or… change something for you?"
Nyx didn't answer, instead quickening her pace. Vex fell silent, filing away her response—or lack thereof—as just another layer of mystery. The more he got to know her, the more he realized she was as much a puzzle as the Nexus itself.
They reached an intersection, where three corridors branched off in different directions. Vex's HUD displayed no hints about which way led deeper into the Nexus. Each corridor seemed as foreboding as the next, cloaked in shadow and silence.
"Which one do we take?" he asked, trying to make out any differences between the paths.
Nyx closed her eyes for a brief moment, her fingers hovering over a device on her wrist. With a quick movement, she tapped a few buttons, and a holographic map projected into the air. The lines were jagged and incomplete, riddled with dead ends and markers that represented security systems, some of which pulsed ominously in red.
"This map was uploaded by someone who… didn't quite make it out of here," she said, eyeing the broken paths on the hologram. "But according to this, the fragments are likely in a chamber at the Nexus's heart."
Vex scrutinized the map, his eyes darting over the details. "So, middle path?"
Nyx nodded, leading the way down the center corridor. But even as they moved, Vex couldn't shake the growing sense of dread clawing at him. Every step felt like a misstep, every corner like it was hiding something dark and waiting.
They were halfway down the corridor when a low rumbling sound echoed from behind. Vex glanced over his shoulder, his heart pounding as the noise grew louder, accompanied by the unmistakable whir of machinery. They barely had a second to react before the floor split apart behind them, revealing a massive, grinding set of gears.
"Run!" Nyx shouted, sprinting ahead as the mechanical trap closed in behind them.
Vex broke into a sprint, his muscles burning as he kept pace with her. The walls began shifting as well, closing in on either side, forcing them into an even narrower path. It was like the Nexus itself was herding them, leading them exactly where it wanted.
Ahead, the corridor finally opened up into a large chamber with walls lined by flickering screens. As they dashed inside, the doors slammed shut, leaving them locked in a room that radiated a cold, metallic chill.
Vex scanned the room, his blade still drawn. "This… doesn't look good."
Nyx's gaze darted around, her hand tightening on her weapon. "It's worse than that. This is the Decider's chamber."
Vex frowned. "The Decider?"
Before she could answer, the lights dimmed, and a deep, metallic voice echoed through the chamber, its tone laced with a cold, artificial amusement.
"Welcome, intruders. You have entered the sanctum of the Nexus Decider, the AI that governs access to Echelon's fragments."
Vex's HUD flashed with an alert:
Boss Fight Detected.
The Decider's image appeared on a massive screen in front of them—a holographic face formed from thousands of interconnected lines, its eyes glowing red as it regarded them with cold calculation.
"You seek Echelon," the Decider continued, "but only those deemed worthy may proceed. And worthiness must be… tested."
A series of drones descended from the ceiling, each one armed with energy blasters that hummed ominously as they locked onto Vex and Nyx. The Decider's face twisted into a facsimile of a grin.
"Let the evaluation begin."
The drones launched forward, and Vex barely managed to deflect a blast aimed at his chest, the impact sending him skidding backward. Nyx returned fire, her shots precise as she took out one drone after another, but they kept coming, relentless and unyielding.
"We can't keep this up," Nyx muttered, glancing at Vex. "The Decider's testing our combat prowess. It wants to see if we're strong enough."
Vex narrowed his eyes, sidestepping a drone that tried to divebomb him. "Then let's give it something to evaluate."
He activated his skill boost, his reflexes heightening as he weaved through the drones' attacks. With a calculated strike, he sliced through one drone, then another, his blade a blur as he cleared a path toward the Decider's screen.
As he advanced, the Decider's voice echoed again, this time with a hint of impatience.
"Impressive. But skill alone is insufficient. A true challenger must possess… loyalty."
Without warning, the drones fell back, hovering silently as if awaiting new instructions. The Decider's screen flickered, its eyes focusing solely on Nyx.
"Tell me, Nyx," it said, its voice dripping with calculated malice. "Would you betray your companion to achieve your goal?"
Nyx froze, her gaze flicking between Vex and the Decider. Vex could see the conflict in her eyes, a fleeting moment of hesitation that made his blood run cold.
The Decider chuckled, sensing her hesitation. "Perhaps you are unworthy after all."
Vex stepped forward, his jaw clenched. "Enough with the mind games. We came here to fight, not to play along with your twisted evaluations."
The Decider's eyes narrowed. "Then prove it."
In an instant, the drones resumed their attack, this time with renewed ferocity. Vex braced himself, dodging and countering as he fought his way toward the Decider's screen. Nyx fought alongside him, her movements as precise as ever, but he couldn't shake the memory of her hesitation.
Finally, they reached the base of the Decider's screen, and Vex plunged his blade into the control panel. Sparks erupted, and the Decider's face contorted in pain as its holographic form flickered.
"This isn't over," it hissed, its voice crackling with static. "Echelon awaits… if you survive long enough to reach it."
With a final, shuddering flicker, the Decider's face vanished, and the drones collapsed to the ground, deactivated. Vex pulled his blade free, catching his breath as the room fell silent once more.
Nyx watched him, her expression unreadable. "You… didn't have to do that."
He shrugged, sheathing his blade. "Consider it payback for covering me earlier."
She smirked, though her eyes held a trace of something darker. "Guess we're even, then. But remember—trust is a fragile thing. Especially here."
Vex met her gaze, the memory of her hesitation still fresh in his mind. But he knew they had no choice but to press on, even if the road ahead was fraught with secrets and betrayals.
"Let's move," he said, his voice steady. "Echelon isn't waiting for us to sort out our issues."
Without another word, they turned and continued deeper into the Nexus, the Decider's words echoing in Vex's mind. This place was testing them, pushing them to their limits—not just as fighters, but as allies. And he had a feeling that the real challenge was only just beginning.