The Awakening of Dr. Elara Mendez

Deep within the Neural Core, something stirred.

Not part of the Xel'Thir.

Not part of Seraph.

Something in between.

A pulse of light flickered within the shifting psionic mass—a human presence, once thought lost.

A voice.

A mind.

Dr. Elara Mendez.

She had been consumed by the Hive, her body rewritten, her will reshaped, her mind linked to a vast intelligence beyond human comprehension.

But the Hive was gone.

And with its destruction, the control over her mind… was breaking.

The pulse became stronger, erratic, like a heartbeat returning after the brink of death.

Then—a gasp.

Her eyes opened.

She collapsed onto the cold metallic floor of the Core chamber, her breath ragged, her body trembling as if it had just been ripped back from the void.

Memories flooded back, fractured and violent.

The Hive's whispers. The endless voices. The screams of those who had been assimilated alongside her.

And then, silence.

Dr. Elara Mendez was alone in her mind again.

She lifted her gaze, vision still blurred, but through the shifting glow of the Core, she saw a shadow standing over her.

A figure clad in Blacklight armor, his silver eyes glowing with cold certainty.

Vale.

Her mind struggled to process reality—was this real? Or was she still trapped in the Hive's illusions?

Her voice, hoarse and weak, finally broke the silence.

"N… Nathan?"

Vale knelt before her, watching her eyes regain focus, her mind realigning itself.

Then—he smiled.

"Hello, Dr. Elara Mendez."

The screen fades to black.