Confrontation and Realization

Nathan held fast to the Fragment, a cold surface tingling slightly. He sat in the small room Jenkins had set up for their training. A single dim bulb cast flickering light over the ancient texts and diagrams spread out on the desk in front of him. Jenkins stood just a few steps yonder, a tableau of caution and acceptance on his face.

"Focus, Nathan," Jenkins said, his tone firm. The Fragment responds to your mind but also amplifies your emotions. Just imagine, if fear or anger takes the upper hand, the power will dominate you.

control.

The air around him seemed to shift, growing heavier. There appeared to be a faint light coming from the Fragment and Nathan experienced a barrage of energy passing through him. He began to feel his heart quicken when he reached out a hand toward a glass of water on the desk. The surface of the water moved, in fact, a warped vortex that emerged from the glass and floated in the vacuum.

Jenkins stepped forward quickly. "Good. Now keep your focus. Don't let it—"

While before he could even finish, the glow of the Fragment increased and the water flew across the room, striking wall with the power to break through the plaster. Nathan gasped, dropping the Fragment onto the desk as the room returned to normal. His hand trembled, and his breathing was ragged.

"I... I didn't mean to," Nathan stammered. "It just—"

Not a problem, Jenkins interjected, voice calm but with a note of urgency. "That's why we're doing this here, in a controlled environment. You're learning. But that is exactly the reason for which I advised you—Once the power of the Fragment starts to begin it becomes very hard to control.

Nathan nodded, though doubt lingered in his mind. The power felt intoxicating, like a rush he couldn't fully resist. But it also terrified him. What if he couldn't control it? What if he hurt someone he cared about?

Hours later, as night settled in, Nathan found himself alone in the room. Jenkins had stepped out to make contact with an old ally, leaving Nathan with strict instructions not to use the Fragment unsupervised. But the temptation gnawed at him. The internal murmurs within him were at their most forceful now, encouraging him to give one more shot, try one more push.

"You can do it, a voice seemed to say, though he couldn't tell if it was in his head or the Fragment itself. "They don't understand your potential. Show them."

Nathan shook his head, but thoughts would not go away and pulled at him, like a specter. He stared at the Fragment upon the table, the feeble shine of it almost tempting him. Against his better judgment, he reached for it.

As soon as his fingers made contact with the Fragment, the ambient air around him changed yet again, but not only did he sense energy as before. There was something else—an overwhelming presence, cold and oppressive. The room darkened, and Nathan's vision blurred.

"Nathan."

The voice was a low, rich, powerful sound coming from and yet out of place. He turned, but the room was empty.

"Who's there?" Nathan demanded, his voice trembling.

"You've opened the door," the voice said. "But you are unprepared for what lies beyond."

Before Nathan could say anything, the black that enclosed him condensed to a thing and a being in the dark, the form indistinct, its power unmistakable.

"What. what are you? Nathan asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

The figure tilted its head, as if amused. "A fragment of what you seek. It is a kind of truth which you have not quite come to terms with yet. But beware, Nathan Whitlock. Each step counts and brings you to the precipice. And once you fall, there is no return."

The figure disappeard into steam, and the room came back to light. Nathan collapsed onto the floor, his heart racing. He fixed his eyes on the Fragment, now grey and faded, and the effect of the meeting appeared to settle on his breast.

Within seconds, Jenkins materialized, the focus narrowed as he stared at Nathan. "What happened?" he asked, his tone sharp.

Nathan struggled to find the words. "There was... someone here. Or something. It spoke to me. It said I wasn't ready."

Jenkins' face darkened. "You activated the Fragment alone, didn't you?"

Nathan nodded reluctantly.

Jenkins cursed under his breath. "You've attracted attention. Such as the more one spends interacting with the Fragment, the closer one gets to expressing the creatures attached to that power, beings alien to our comprehension. This is why I warned you, Nathan. You're not just dealing with the Helix Order anymore. It's not the only player, and it's a lot deadlier.

Nathan felt a chill run down his spine. He had always regarded the Fragment to be a device from which he could derive power, from which he could draw control. He discovered, though, that it was not a simple matter and was now contemplating the challenge to be much, much more involved and far more dangerous.