Before Kael could digest the revelation, the floor beneath the lab trembled. Holographic displays flickered, alarms buzzed, and the lights pulsed violently. "They've found you," Aria said, her voice now urgent. "The Null Order—they don't waste time. You've been marked."
Kael's heart raced. Marked. The word carried an echo of inevitability, of death looming just beyond reach. But he didn't freeze. Years of combat training surged back to him, muscles responding before the brain could catch up. He followed Aria as she led him through a hidden door at the back of the lab, revealing a stairwell descending into a cavernous basement.
The space was unlike anything he had seen—walls covered in glowing alien glyphs, instruments that defied human understanding, and a hum of energy that made his chest throb in resonance with his mark. "This is my sanctuary," Aria said. "And it's about to become your battlefield."
A series of monitors flickered, showing images from around the city: shadows moving unnaturally, figures appearing and disappearing in mid-air. "They're testing you," she explained. "The Null sends their scouts first—sentinels designed to probe the limits of your new form. They want to see what the Revenant can do."
Kael clenched his fists. The whispers surged again, giving him visions of the approaching threat—distorted, monstrous shapes that slithered through the alleys and skyscrapers. They were faster, stronger, and utterly alien. And yet, for the first time since his return, he felt… ready.
Aria handed him a sleek device, glowing with internal energy. "This will stabilize your connection to the Nexus long enough to fight," she said. "If you die tonight… you don't just die. The ripple will be catastrophic."
Kael exhaled, a mix of fear and adrenaline. The city outside waited, teetering on the edge of chaos. Somewhere in the darkness, the first sentinel was already moving toward him. And in that instant, Kael Draven understood one undeniable truth: his life was over. From now on, survival was only the beginning.