Chapter 19: The Edge of Trust
The room felt suffocating as Ethan stared at Aria. The tension between them was like a taut wire, ready to snap. She stood there, weapon raised, her eyes betraying a mix of desperation and resolve. Behind him, Selene and Kaden kept their weapons trained on the Concord soldiers, their stances tense and ready for combat.
"What do you mean everyone here will die?" Ethan demanded, his voice cutting through the chaos.
Aria lowered her weapon slightly, her gaze flickering toward the Codex in his hands. "You don't understand what you're holding, Ethan. The Codex isn't just a tool. It's a trigger. The more you use it, the closer you bring the Eclipser to this world. I know you've felt it."
Ethan's grip tightened on the artifact. "And yet you handed it to me in the first place."
Aria flinched but held her ground. "I made a mistake. I didn't know what the Codex was capable of until it was too late. But I'm here to fix that—to stop you from doing something you can't undo."
Selene stepped forward, her tone icy. "And we're supposed to trust you? After you betrayed us? After you sold us out to the Concord?"
"I didn't betray you," Aria shot back, her voice rising. "I was trying to protect you! If I hadn't made that deal, we'd all be dead right now."
Kaden scoffed. "Funny how your 'protection' always seems to benefit you the most."
"Enough!" Ethan snapped, his voice echoing in the lab. The Codex pulsed in his hands, its energy growing unstable. Everyone fell silent, the artifact's glow casting eerie shadows on the walls.
Ethan took a deep breath, his eyes locking onto Aria's. "If you're here to help, prove it. Stand down and let us finish what we started."
Aria hesitated, her weapon trembling in her hands. For a moment, it seemed like she might lower it. But then her gaze hardened.
"I can't let you activate that machine," she said. "If you do, you'll draw the Eclipser here faster than you can imagine. You think you're saving the world, but you're playing right into its hands."
---
Before Ethan could respond, the sound of heavy boots echoed down the corridor. More Concord soldiers were on their way.
Selene cursed under her breath. "We don't have time for this."
Calder's voice rang out from the console. "I need thirty more seconds! Just hold them off!"
Kaden stepped forward, his blade gleaming in the red light of the alarm. "We deal with her now, or she'll stab us in the back the second she gets a chance."
Aria's gaze flicked to Kaden, then back to Ethan. "You know me, Ethan. You know I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe it was the only way."
Ethan's mind raced. He could feel the Codex pulsing in his hands, its power resonating with his emotions. The visions flashed in his mind again—Aria standing over him, shadows consuming the world.
He had to make a choice.
---
Option 1: Trust Aria
Ethan took a step forward, lowering the Codex slightly. "If you're telling the truth, then help us. Tell me what I need to do to stop the Eclipser without destroying everything else."
Aria's eyes widened in surprise, but she nodded. "We need to destroy the Resonance Lab. It's amplifying the Codex's signal. If we take it out, we buy ourselves time."
Selene stared at him, incredulous. "You can't seriously be listening to her."
Ethan turned to her, his expression resolute. "I am. If we're wrong, we all die. If she's wrong, we still have a chance to fix it."
---
Option 2: Reject Aria
Ethan raised the Codex, its glow intensifying. "I've had enough of your lies, Aria. Step aside, or I'll make you."
Her eyes narrowed. "I can't let you do this."
Before she could react, Ethan unleashed a burst of energy from the Codex, knocking her back. Selene and Kaden moved quickly, securing her as the Concord soldiers stormed in.
"Calder!" Ethan shouted. "Finish it now!"
Calder's fingers flew across the keyboard. "Just a few more seconds!"
---
The Concord soldiers breached the room, and chaos erupted. Kaden fought like a whirlwind, his blade flashing as he took down one soldier after another. Selene's movements were precise and deadly, her focus razor-sharp.
Ethan stood in the center of the chaos, the Codex's power surging through him. Every blast he unleashed felt like it was pulling something deeper from within him—something primal and terrifying.
Finally, Calder shouted, "It's done!"
A wave of energy burst from the machine, knocking everyone to the ground. The Codex's glow dimmed, its hum growing faint.
But before anyone could celebrate, a deep, resonant voice echoed through the lab.
"So this is the one who wields the Codex," it said, each word dripping with malice.
Ethan's blood ran cold as the shadows in the room seemed to coalesce, forming a towering figure. Its eyes burned like embers, and its presence was suffocating.
"The Eclipser," Calder whispered, his voice trembling.
Ethan rose to his feet, the Codex pulsing weakly in his hands. He stared at the entity, fear and determination warring within him.
"This isn't over," he said, his voice steady.
The Eclipser smiled, a chilling expression that promised nothing but destruction. "No, it has only just begun."