A New Mission

In the days that followed, David became more paranoid. The voice hadn't returned, but he could feel the lingering presence of the multiverse tugging at him. He couldn't shake the feeling that his journey wasn't over—that there was something left unfinished.

Then one night, as he sat alone in his room, he saw it—a ripple in the air, like the surface of water disturbed by a pebble. It was faint, almost imperceptible, but there nonetheless.

David stood frozen, his eyes fixed on the disturbance. He knew what it meant. The multiverse was still fractured, and the rift—though closed—had left scars in its wake.

Without warning, the ripple expanded, and from it, a figure emerged. It was a shadowy form, indistinct, but its presence sent a wave of recognition through David's mind. It was him—or a version of him. One that had never severed the connection, one that had become trapped in the multiverse.

"David…" the figure whispered. "I'm still here."

David stepped back, his mind racing. He had closed the rift. He had severed the ties. How could this be happening?

The figure stepped closer, its form flickering in and out of focus. "You can't leave me here… You can't let me fade."

The words struck David like a hammer. This version of himself was from one of the alternate dimensions—a world where his actions had caused his other self to become trapped. And now, that version was seeking a way back.

"I… I don't know how to help you," David stammered. "I thought I fixed it."

The figure's voice was desperate now. "You severed the connection, but not completely. I'm still tied to you. The rift… it's not fully closed. You have to finish what you started."

David's mind whirled. How could he fix something he thought was already resolved? He had done everything the voice had told him, severed his connection, closed the rift. But now, standing before a ghost of himself, he realized he had been wrong.

"Please," the figure whispered, its form fading. "Don't leave me behind."

David's heart ached. He couldn't let this version of himself suffer. He had to go back—back to the Nexus, back to the heart of the multiverse, and truly fix the breach once and for all.