"Miraculous 14"

[Timekeeper]

[Master of Puppets]

Nexus sat alone in his dimly lit chamber, the faint hum of machinery reverberating through the walls.

The air was thick with tension, as though even the room itself knew it was holding its breath.

He leaned back in his chair, fingertips brushing the edges of a glowing map that hovered before him.

Cities, countries, continents—all flickered under his watchful gaze. And among them, Washington, D.C. glowed brightest, pulsing like a heartbeat.

A twisted grin tugged at the corner of his lips as he tapped on D.C., zooming in to reveal "New Paris," the posh enclave where his latest plan had taken root.

Funneh, Réné, and Chloé Strom—their names floated across the map, encircled in red as though marked for slaughter.

But no, slaughter wasn't Nexus's style. Manipulation, control, corruption—those were his weapons of choice.

He'd turn them into something much darker than mere corpses.

"They think they're heroes," he muttered to himself, the words laced with contempt. "They have no idea what's coming."

A flicker of movement caught his eye as one of his Lumisprites, a black, moth-like creature with translucent wings, fluttered into view.

It hovered above his shoulder, awaiting orders. Nexus reached up, letting the creature land on his palm.

Its wings shimmered as it settled, pulsing with dark energy.

"They'll fall like the others," he said softly, almost as if comforting the tiny creature. "One by one, their little spirits will break, and I'll rebuild them in my image."

He tossed the Lumisprite into the air, watching it vanish through a crack in the wall, off to fulfill its twisted purpose.

Nexus had a knack for picking his targets.

It wasn't about brute force or who was strongest; it was about finding the cracks in people's armor, the weaknesses they tried so hard to hide.

"Funneh first," he mused aloud, his voice dripping with malice. "She's the easiest to break. All that fame, all those eyes on her... it'll only take a nudge for her to spiral out of control."

Nexus's hand reached out, tracing the lines of the map once more.

A second Lumisprite materialized, its wings glowing a dull red.

This one was different, imbued with a sharper, more aggressive energy. It hovered before him, awaiting direction.

"Go find my next puppet," Nexus whispered, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Turn their love into hatred. Their pride into arrogance. Make them doubt themselves until they don't know who they are anymore."

The Lumisprite zipped out of the room, its path clear.

Nexus stood, pacing the length of his chamber. Each step felt like a calculated movement in a chess game only he could see. Every piece was falling into place. He didn't need armies to take over cities. He didn't need brute force to topple governments. All he needed was to plant seeds of corruption, then sit back and watch them grow.

The screen in front of him flickered, bringing up a live feed from New Paris.

Funneh was laughing with a group of students, the picture of grace and kindness.

Réné, aloof and charming, was swarmed by admirers.

Chloé Strom stood apart, always in the background, the quiet thinker of the group. Each one of them had a role to play in his game, and none of them even knew it yet.

"They'll all fall, eventually," Nexus whispered, the sinister undertone back in his voice. "They think they're safe, protected by their little Lumisprites and their powers. But power is just another tool to be corrupted."

He sank back into his chair, the dark energy in the room thickening.

He'd already corrupted others, twisted innocent people into weapons of chaos. It was a delicate process, one that required patience and precision. But the payoff... the payoff was always worth it.

His mind wandered back to Xaliron's invasion. The chaos it had caused was only the beginning. A test, really, to see how the heroes would react. They'd held their ground, sure.

But that was because of the crisis energy, a temporary shield they didn't even understand. Without it, they were vulnerable. Fragile. And Nexus would exploit every weakness, every doubt they had about their purpose.

"They think this is over," Nexus muttered darkly, "but this is just the beginning."

He stared at the map again, eyes locking onto Washington, D.C., and then further out, to the larger world. He had no intention of stopping at New Paris. No, that was just the start. He'd spread his influence until every major city was crawling with his corrupted agents.

And once he had enough power?

Nexus's smile twisted into something far darker.

He wouldn't just control cities. He'd control nations, the very minds of their people. He would create a new world order, one where he ruled from the shadows, unseen and untouchable.

"Let them play their little games for now," Nexus whispered. "I'm already three steps ahead. And when they finally realize who I am... it'll be too late."

His laughter echoed through the darkened chamber as another Lumisprite emerged, darting off into the night.

The world didn't know it yet, but it was already his.

[Later…..]

Nexus sat in the dimly lit chamber, the faint glow of the map casting long shadows on his face.

His twisted smile widened as he watched the latest Lumisprite flit off into the night, on its way to claim another victim.

The world outside was moving along as usual, blissfully unaware that a new order was slowly taking shape under his careful watch.

It wasn't long before a small flicker on the map caught his attention.

The screen zoomed in on New Paris, and a student's face appeared.

This one had been carefully selected, nurtured by Nexus's whispers of doubt and insecurity over the past few days.

A model student by all accounts, but beneath the surface, envy and rage had been festering, ready to be unleashed.

"Let's see how you handle this, Funneh," Nexus muttered to himself as he leaned closer to the screen.

The Lumisprite had reached its target. It hovered around the girl—Alina, the one who had taken an immediate dislike to Funneh for reasons she couldn't quite place. Nexus had planted that seed early on, nurturing it until it grew into something she could no longer control.

The Lumisprite landed lightly on Alina's shoulder, its wings pulsing with dark energy. It whispered in her ear, soft at first, then louder, feeding off the jealousy and frustration that had been building inside her.

"They admire her," the voice whispered, curling into her mind like smoke. "They adore her. But what about you? What have you ever gotten from all your hard work?"

Alina's eyes darkened as the words took root. The whispers grew louder.

"You should be the one they admire. You deserve to be the one everyone looks at."

Her fists clenched, nails digging into her palms as a wave of anger surged through her. Funneh, the perfect, untouchable superhero, loved by everyone. What had she done to earn all that praise? Alina had worked her whole life to be the best, but she was invisible compared to Funneh. It wasn't fair.

"You can change that," the Lumisprite whispered. "I can help you. All you have to do is let me in."

Nexus watched the transformation begin. Alina's eyes glazed over, her body trembling as the dark energy seeped into her. The Lumisprite merged with her, and in an instant, her appearance began to shift.

Her skin turned pale, her hair darkened to an inky black, and her school uniform morphed into a sleek, sharp outfit—dark armor that reflected her new identity as a villain. A villain Nexus had carefully crafted.

He grinned, fingers tapping the side of his chair.

"Perfect," he said softly, leaning back. "Let's see how they deal with this one."

[New Paris - The Next Day]

Funneh was walking down the corridor of the school, feeling the usual warmth of smiles and waves directed her way.

She couldn't help but smile back; it was nice to be appreciated for her work.

She had just finished another round of classes and was looking forward to a peaceful afternoon.

Réné and Chloé Strom were a few paces ahead, deep in conversation about some recent event in Paris that had caught their attention.

But something felt off today. There was a strange tension in the air, something lurking just beneath the surface. Funneh could sense it, the way her superhero instincts always kicked in when danger was close.

And then she saw her.

Alina, walking toward her with a strange, determined look in her eyes. Her whole demeanor was different—colder, more hostile. Funneh raised an eyebrow, unsure of what had changed, but she wasn't one to jump to conclusions.

"Hey, Alina," Funneh called out, giving her a friendly wave. "What's up?"

Alina didn't respond. Instead, she stopped a few feet away from Funneh, her dark eyes narrowing.

"You think you're so perfect, don't you?" Alina spat, her voice laced with venom.

Funneh blinked, caught off guard. "What are you talking about?"

"You!" Alina's voice grew louder. "You think just because you're a superhero, you deserve all the attention. But what about the rest of us? What about me?"

Funneh's eyes widened, and she took a step back, realizing what was happening. She had seen this before. The signs were all there—corruption, dark energy, just like the last few times.

"Alina," Funneh said softly, trying to keep her voice calm, "you don't have to do this. Whatever's happening, we can fix it."

But Alina wasn't listening. Her transformation was complete, and the dark energy had fully taken hold. With a flick of her wrist, a wave of black, razor-sharp shards materialized in the air around her.

"You're the problem, Funneh!" Alina shouted, her voice distorted. "You need to be taken down!"

Funneh knew there was no reasoning with her now. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the small coin she always kept with her—her Regalia. She held it in her palm for a moment, feeling the familiar warmth it gave off before she closed her eyes and whispered the words.

"Happygolucky."

A burst of light enveloped her, and within seconds, she had transformed into her superhero form. She was ready.

Alina wasted no time, launching the shards at Funneh with blinding speed. But Funneh was faster. She dodged and spun out of the way, her movements quick and fluid. Her yo-yo was already in her hand, glowing with a faint blue light. She swung it through the air, the water within it swirling in perfect harmony.

"I'm sorry, Alina," Funneh said, her voice steady. "But I have to stop you."

She flicked her wrist, sending the yo-yo flying toward Alina. The water wrapped around her, glowing with a soft, purifying light. Alina struggled, but the yo-yo tightened, drawing out the dark energy that had consumed her.

Funneh gave one final pull, releasing Alina's soul from the darkness. As the dark Love Energy Moths emerged, fluttering out of Alina's body, Funneh watched them fly away, their dark energy fading.

"Goodbye, little moth," she whispered, her voice soft as she watched them disappear into the sky.

Alina collapsed to the ground, unconscious but free from the corruption.

Funneh sighed, lowering her yo-yo. She turned, her gaze shifting back to the school where Réné and Chloé Strom were just catching up. But there was no time for relief. Funneh knew that this wouldn't be the last attack.

Nexus's game had just begun.

[End]