Seeds of Doubt

The air inside the Nexus Syndicate base was thick with tension. THe battle was over, but its consequences had only just begun. Knox sat in a dimly lit chamber, the soft hum of machines filling the silence as Kaelina's voice echoed in his mind.

"Why did you take her?"

Knox exhaled, leaning forward, his fingers pressed together in thought. "I don't know." His voice was low, contemplative. "Her power was too great to just leave her there. She would've come back stronger. I couldn't risk that."

Kaelina's tone remained neutral, but there was something almost amused in it. "And now?"

Knox's gaze flickered toward the reinforced cell at the end of the hall. "I don't know."

Kaelina processed for a moment before speaking again. "Are you going to kill her?"

Knox's fingers tapped against the table once, twice. His voice was measured. "Should I?"

"No." The response was immediate. "During the fight, I picked up something strange—her power wasn't at full strength. There were moments where it flickered, canceling out your abilities for only a millisecond. Too brief for you to notice, but it happened."

Knox's brows furrowed. "What are you saying?"

"She can be useful to us, Knox. For the Aegis Nexus Plan."

That got his attention. He leaned back, eyes narrowing. "How?"

"Her constructs." Kaelina's voice was as calm as ever. "With the right guidance, she could create barriers capable of weakening and, over time, suppressing people's powers completely. With enough time, we could construct a world where power itself is controlled—regulated."

Knox scoffed. "She isn't going to help us. She's a hero."

"Not yet."

He paused. "What do you mean?"

Kaelina's tone turned almost knowing. "You've unknowingly planted the seeds of doubt in her, Knox. The fight, the destruction, the things you said—it shook her. She won't admit it, not yet, but it's there. All you have to do is nurture it, and it will grow."

Knox considered that for a moment before shaking his head. "Even if that's true, we have bigger problems." His expression darkened as his mind drifted back to the battlefield. "Where did all those heroes come from?"

"My guess? Everywhere. The Global Protection Agency must've been watching and acted fast to stop you. They're mobilizing, Knox."

His jaw tightened. "We don't have the manpower to fight them all."

Before Kaelina could respond, a knock echoed against the metal door.

Max stepped in, his face practically glowing with excitement. "Sir. You need to see this."

Knox's eyes narrowed. "What is it?"

Max pulled up a holopad, pressing play. The screen flickered, displaying footage from all across the world—riots, looting, chaos. People with masks, criminals, outlaws, all standing before cameras, raising their fists.

"FOR THE NEXUS SYNDICATE!"

The phrase was repeated over and over, across cities, across nations. Criminals rallying. Anarchists rising. The world had been his battle, seen him take on Seraph and survive, and now—

They were following him.

Max grinned. "The GPA broadcasted your fight everywhere, asking for heroes to step up. But they weren't the only ones watching. The villains saw it too. And now? They're supporting us. This is huge, sir. We damn near have an army."

Knox's expression remained unreadable. Then he muttered, "And they have an army of heroes."

A long silence stretched between them.

Then Knox straightened. "A war is coming." His voice was cold, certain. "I'll make a broadcast soon. Get the equipment ready."

Max nodded and hurried off. Knox turned away, heading down the corridor.

He had another matter to deal with.

The reinforced cell was dimly lit, thick containment walls humming with a faint golden energy. Inside, Seraph sat against the far wall, her once-radiant presence dimmed. Her wings, still bound in golden shackles, flickered weakly.

As Knox stepped in, she moved in an instant, summoning a sphere of divine light and hurling it at him.

It flickered out of existence the moment it neared him.

Seraph gasped, collapsing onto the ground, breathing heavily.

Knox sighed. "I came to talk."

Sye let out a harsh laugh, lifting her head. "Talk?" Her voice dripped with venom. "You killed my friends. And you want to talk? Go to hell, you monster."

Knox's expression didn't change, but Kaelina's voice chimed in his head. "An angel telling you to go to hell. That's a first."

"Shut up," he muttered under his breath.

Kaelina's tone remained light. "Repeat after me, Knox. We can't afford to make a single mistake."

He inhaled slowly, then met Seraph's burning gaze.

"You think I enjoy this?" His voice was low, edged with something unreadable. "You think I want war? I don't/ But I won't stand by while the world rots."

She glared at him. "You're the one causing the rot."

"No," Knox said firmly. "I'm the cure."

Seraph scoffed, but he continued.

"The world is broken. You know it as well as I do. Corrupt governments, systems built to fail, power in the hands of those unworthy. Billions suffer while a handful sit in luxury. They create heroes to maintain the illusion of hope—but hope is a lie." His fists clenched. "They put out fires while ignoring the fact that the whole damn world is burning."

Seraph's jaw tightened, but said nothing.

"I'm going to change that," Knox said. "The Aegis Nexus will be the foundation of a new world. A world where no one has to suffer. Where no child has to starve. Where no one is powerless." He took a step forward, his presence suffocating. "No one will live fear ever again."

Seraph's voice was barely a whisper. "And how many will you kill to build this world?"

Knox didn't hesitate. "As many as it takes."

Her expression twisted in disgust, but he leaned in, voice like steel.

"Sacrifice is necessary for progress. You know that" He studied her, his words sinking in. "Join me, Seraph. Help me build something greater."

Silence.

For the first time, Seraph didn't have an immediate retort.

Seraph's thoughts swirled in chaos. Everything she had believed—everything she had fought for—felt like it was cracking under the weight of his words. The memory of their battle was still fresh, the pain still real, but something deeper unsettled her. It wasn't just his strength. It wasn't just his conviction.

It was the fact that, for a moment, she had hesitated.

'No...' She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. 'This is wrong. He's the villain. He's the one we have to stop.'

But that seed of doubt had already taken root.

SHe reached inward, calling up Luminara, her system—the very thing that had guided her since she first awakened. 'Tell me what to do. Tell me what the right choice is.'

There was silence. Then—

"I don't know, Seraph."

Seraph's breath hitched. Luminara had always provided answers, always calculated the best path forward. But now, faced with Knox's words, his vision, his terrifying logic—her system hesitated.

That shook her more than anything else.

Across the cell, Knox watched her in silence. He could see the battle raging within her, the cracks forming in her certainty. He didn't press further. Instead, he simply said, "I'll give you time to think about this."

Then he turned and left the cell, the heavy door sealing shut behind him.

Seraph collapsed to her knees, staring blankly at the cold metal floor.

For the first time in her life—she didn't know what to believe.

Knox walked down the hall, his footsteps echoing.

"Did I do it right?"

Kaelina's voice was thoughtful. "Only time will tell."

Knox exhaled. Then, without another word, he headed toward Max.

There was still much to do.