The shard's faint glow pulsed rhythmically as Iris stared at it on the bridge of the Shadowfang. Every beat felt like a countdown, each pulse tugging at the Nexus tattoos etched into her skin. It wasn't just power—it was alive, and it wanted her.
Around her, the crew watched silently, each grappling with the weight of what they had just witnessed. The Nexus shard represented incredible power but carried an equally devastating curse.
Arkan broke the silence first. "We can't keep that thing on the ship. It's a beacon for trouble, and we don't even know what it's capable of."
"We don't have a choice," Iris replied, her voice firm but distant. "If we leave it out there, someone else will find it—someone worse than Darius."
"But can you handle it?" Luna asked softly. Her glowing eyes locked on Iris's. "You already carry the Nexus within you. Adding more could…" She hesitated, choosing her next words carefully. "…tip the balance."
Iris clenched her fists, the tattoos on her arms flaring faintly. "I'm fine. The Nexus hasn't taken me yet, and it won't."
Kyra snorted from the corner. "Hate to break up the pep talk, but we've got bigger problems. That shard didn't get here by itself. Someone planted it, and they knew we'd come."
"That's the part I don't get," Kairo interjected, pacing nervously. "Who's powerful enough to set a Nexus trap—and why target us specifically?"
A Distress Call
Before anyone could respond, an alarm blared across the ship. Luna rushed to the console, her expression hardening as she scanned the incoming signal.
"It's another distress call," she said. "Same energy signature as the shard. This one's coming from Daelus Prime."
Arkan frowned. "Daelus Prime? That's a fortress world. If the shard's energy is there, it's not by accident."
"Then we don't wait," Iris said, standing tall. "We head to Daelus Prime and end this before it spirals out of control."
"And what about the shard we already have?" Kyra asked, her tone skeptical. "If you think you can keep it from taking over, fine. But what if we're walking into another trap?"
"Then we spring it," Iris said, her eyes glowing faintly with Nexus energy. "If someone's targeting me, it's time we found out who."
Arrival at Daelus Prime
The Shadowfang emerged from hyperspace above Daelus Prime, its massive surface covered in sprawling cities and towering fortifications. The planet's defenses were legendary, but as the crew descended into the atmosphere, they saw something was very wrong.
Entire sections of the planet were dark, the cities below smoldering ruins. Ships floated lifelessly in the upper atmosphere, their hulls torn apart by an unknown force.
"Whatever did this," Luna whispered, "it wasn't a normal attack."
Iris's tattoos flared again, the shard in her possession vibrating faintly. "The Nexus," she murmured. "It's stronger here."
The ship's comm crackled to life, a distorted voice breaking through. "Shadowfang, you've arrived just in time. Welcome to the proving grounds."
An Unseen Enemy
The crew exchanged tense glances as the ship was suddenly pulled into a docking port by an unseen force. The landing was rough, and the lights flickered ominously. Iris was the first to stand, drawing her energy blades.
"Everyone stays sharp," she ordered. "Whatever's waiting for us, it knows we're here."
They disembarked into a sprawling hangar, the air thick with the acrid scent of burning metal. The walls were lined with strange runes, glowing faintly with Nexus energy.
"Looks like a ritual site," Luna said, running her fingers along the markings. "But these…they're not just Nexus-infused. They're...ancient."
"Ancient or not," Kyra said, scanning the shadows, "I don't trust it."
As they moved deeper into the complex, the temperature dropped, and the air became heavy. They reached a massive chamber, its centerpiece a towering Nexus shard embedded in the floor, pulsing violently.
The Harbinger
A figure stepped out from the shadows—a man draped in robes that shimmered with Nexus energy, his eyes glowing with the same eerie light.
"Iris Veyra," he said, his voice smooth and calculated. "At last, we meet. The Nexus spoke of you, and I see it wasn't mistaken."
"Who are you?" Iris demanded, her energy blades flaring to life.
"I am known as the Harbinger," the man said, his lips curling into a smile. "A servant of the Nexus, and soon, its master. You, however, are merely a tool—one I intend to wield."
"Over my dead body," Iris growled.
"That," the Harbinger said, "can be arranged."
With a wave of his hand, the massive shard erupted with energy, flooding the chamber with light. Shadows coalesced into monstrous forms, each one crackling with Nexus power.
The Battle
The crew sprang into action as the monsters attacked. Kyra danced through the chaos, her knives flashing in arcs of silver. Kairo fired controlled bursts from his blasters, keeping the creatures at bay. Luna channeled her telekinesis, hurling debris and energy barriers to protect the others.
But it was Iris who dominated the battlefield. Her Nexus tattoos flared brighter than ever, and her blades moved like extensions of her will. She fought with a ferocity that matched the monsters' relentless assault, each strike resonating with the shard's energy.
"You're strong," the Harbinger said, watching her with fascination. "But strength alone won't save you. The Nexus is inevitable. You will succumb."
Iris leaped at him, her blades aimed for his heart. But the Harbinger caught her mid-air, his hand crackling with energy as he hurled her across the chamber.
"You don't understand your purpose," he said, approaching slowly. "You're fighting against the very thing that makes you whole."
The Choice
Iris struggled to her feet, her body trembling with the Nexus's power. She glanced at the shard embedded in the floor, its light pulsing in sync with her heartbeat.
"Maybe I don't understand my purpose," she said, her voice steady. "But I know one thing. The Nexus doesn't control me—I control it."
With a roar, she channeled all her energy into her blades, their light intensifying until they were blinding. She charged the shard, driving her weapons into its core.
The chamber erupted in a shockwave of energy, the Harbinger's screams echoing as the shard shattered into fragments. The monsters disintegrated, and the light faded.
Aftermath
As the dust settled, the crew regrouped around Iris, who stood over the shard's remains. The Harbinger was gone, but his words lingered in her mind.
"What now?" Arkan asked.
Iris looked at the shattered pieces, her tattoos still glowing faintly. "We keep going. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that the Nexus never stops. Neither do we."
The crew nodded, and the Shadowfang lifted off, leaving Daelus Prime behind. But in the back of her mind, Iris knew the fight was far from over.
The Nexus wasn't done with her yet.