Reinhardt staggered back, his pulse pounding in his ears. The entity's words coiled around his mind like unseen chains, tightening with every breath.
"You have always belonged to me."
No. That wasn't possible. He had sworn his life to the Order, fought for honor, for justice. But now, the realization clawed at him—his entire life had been shaped by a force he never even knew existed.
Selene grabbed his arm, her grip firm. "Reinhardt, listen to me. This thing lies. It twists truth into chains."
The entity's laughter slithered through the air. "Does it matter? Whether you knew or not, your path has always led here. The blood you've spilled, the oaths you took, all threads in the web I wove before you ever drew breath."
Reinhardt clenched his fists. His mind screamed for denial, but deep inside, something in him—some lost part—knew the entity spoke the truth. His dreams, the nightmares that haunted him since childhood… They had never been just dreams.
Selene's magic flared around them, shadows lashing out. "Enough!" she snapped. "Reinhardt is not yours to claim."
The darkness around them trembled, but the entity did not move. "Then let him decide."
The void rippled, shifting, and in an instant, the shadows parted—revealing a vision.
A lone figure stood in the ruins of the battlefield, his armor cracked, his sword planted in the ground like a marker for the fallen. Reinhardt. But older, wearier. His eyes hollow, his hands stained with blood. Around him, there were no allies, no enemies—only silence.
Reinhardt's breath caught. Was this his future?
The entity's voice whispered like silk. "You can fight me, deny me, but the path will not change. Every choice leads to the same end—alone, broken, forsaken. Unless…"
The vision shifted.
Now he stood beside Selene, their hands entwined, power radiating between them. The world bowed to them—not in fear, but reverence. They were unstoppable, unchained.
Selene's hand in his trembled slightly, but she held firm. "Reinhardt," she murmured, her voice softer now. "Don't let it win."
The void pulsed with expectation.
And Reinhardt knew. This was his choice to make.