The Shadowfang sailed through the vast expanse of space, leaving behind the debris field that was once the derelict station. Though the relic was destroyed, its lingering energy resonated faintly in the air, a haunting reminder of the encounter. The crew gathered in the main briefing room, the tension thick among them.
Iris sat silently at the head of the table, her hands clasped together. The memory of the relic's voice still whispered in the back of her mind, its seductive promises replaying like a broken melody. Though she had shattered it, a fragment of its essence had fused with her, a piece of power she couldn't yet understand—or trust.
Arkan broke the silence first. "We need to talk about what just happened."
"I think we can all agree," Taron began, his tone laced with sarcasm, "that ancient, sentient artifacts are officially off the scavenging list."
"No kidding," Kyra muttered, arms crossed as she leaned back in her chair. "That thing nearly killed us all. And Iris... it almost had you."
"Almost," Iris said softly, her voice distant. "But I destroyed it. It's gone now."
"But not its influence," Luna interjected, her voice cautious but firm. She had been analyzing the energy readings since their departure from the station. "The Nexus signature in your system—it's not the same as it was before. The relic... changed something."
Iris stiffened. "What do you mean?"
Luna tapped a few buttons on her datapad, projecting a holographic image of Iris's energy signature. "This is your Nexus energy from before we reached the station." A distinct red waveform appeared. Then, she shifted the display. "And this is after the relic was destroyed."
The waveform had morphed into something far more erratic, its intensity spiking unpredictably. It was no longer a pure Nexus signature—it was infused with something new.
"Iris," Luna said cautiously, "I think part of the relic bonded with you when you touched it. It's dormant for now, but... we don't know what it might do."
The room fell into a heavy silence as everyone absorbed her words.
"So what do we do about it?" Arkan asked, his tone protective.
"Monitor her," Luna replied. "Keep track of any changes. If we see any signs of instability, we'll need to act fast."
Iris's gaze was fixed on the hologram. "You mean if I lose control," she said, her voice cold. "You're saying I'm a threat."
"No one's saying that," Arkan said quickly, his voice firm. "We're saying we need to be prepared. That's all."
Iris stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. "I don't need you to prepare for me. I'm fine."
She left the room without another word, the door hissing shut behind her.
A Fractured Resolve
Iris wandered the dim corridors of the Shadowfang, her mind a storm of emotions. The weight of the relic's influence gnawed at her, and though she tried to ignore it, the whispers were growing louder. The crew's doubts, their cautious glances—she could feel them like needles in her skin.
Reaching the observation deck, she leaned against the glass, staring out into the endless void of stars. She wanted to believe she could control this, that the power inside her wouldn't consume her. But the truth was far more terrifying: she wasn't sure.
"You're not alone, you know."
The voice startled her, and she turned to see Arkan standing in the doorway. His expression was calm, his presence steady as he stepped closer.
"I didn't ask for company," she said, her tone sharper than she intended.
"I know," he said simply, leaning against the railing beside her. "But I'm here anyway."
For a moment, they stood in silence, the hum of the ship the only sound between them.
"I'm fine," Iris said finally, though her voice wavered.
"No, you're not," Arkan replied. "And that's okay. You don't have to face this alone, Iris. None of us do."
She closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing. "What if I'm becoming like them? Like the others who fell to the Nexus? What if I can't stop it?"
Arkan's hand rested lightly on her shoulder. "You're not like them. You're stronger. And even if you can't see it right now, we can. I can."
His words were a small comfort, a fragile light in the darkness. But the doubt still lingered.
The Nexus Awakens
Hours later, Iris was jolted awake by a sudden surge of energy coursing through her body. She sat up in her quarters, her breath coming in sharp gasps. Her veins felt like they were on fire, and her vision blurred as the world around her seemed to shift.
The whispers were back, louder now, and the voice of the relic resonated in her mind.
"Did you think it would be so easy to escape me, child?"
Iris clutched her head, her body trembling. The relic's essence was no longer dormant—it was awake and merging with the Nexus inside her. She could feel her control slipping, the lines between herself and the power blurring.
Fighting to regain control, she stumbled to the comm panel. "Arkan," she gasped, her voice barely audible. "Something's wrong."
The door to her quarters hissed open moments later, and Arkan rushed in, followed by Luna and Kairo. They found her collapsed on the floor, her body glowing faintly with an eerie light.
"Iris!" Arkan shouted, kneeling beside her.
Luna quickly scanned her with a handheld device. "Her energy levels are spiking off the charts! The relic's essence is destabilizing her Nexus connection!"
"What do we do?" Kairo asked, panic evident in his voice.
Luna's face was grim. "If we don't stabilize her now, she'll lose herself to the Nexus entirely."
Arkan gritted his teeth, his hand gripping Iris's. "Iris, listen to me. You have to fight this. You've beaten it before. You can do it again."
Iris's eyes fluttered open, glowing faintly with the same light as the relic. For a moment, she wasn't sure who—or what—she was anymore. But Arkan's voice cut through the chaos, grounding her.
With a final, desperate effort, she pushed the power down, forcing it back into submission. The glow faded, and she collapsed into Arkan's arms, her breathing ragged.
"It's not over," she whispered weakly. "The relic… it's still inside me."
Arkan's jaw tightened. "Then we'll find a way to get it out. Together."
As the crew worked to stabilize her, Iris couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The relic had awakened something within her—something that couldn't be undone.
And she wasn't sure if she would survive it .