The Breaking Point

Kaelen staggered backward, breaking contact with the mirror. His breath was shallow, his heart pounding in his chest. He couldn't tell if he was still in control of his body or if the entity had already taken root in him.

Mira grabbed his arm, pulling him away from the mirror. "Kaelen, we have to leave. Now."

But Kaelen could barely respond. The voice inside his head—the signal—was louder now, pushing at his thoughts, tearing at his very identity.

We will all be one.

"No," Kaelen whispered, stumbling toward the door. "I won't let it—"

Before he could finish, a blast of energy shot through the ship. The lights flickered, and the hum of the signal rose to a deafening roar. The walls trembled, and the ship's systems went haywire.

R0NIN's voice came through, frantic. "Warning: The core has reached critical mass. The ship is in danger of total collapse. All crew members must evacuate immediately."

Laz's voice echoed from the comms. "We can't escape! We're trapped in the signal's pull! It's too strong!"

Kaelen gritted his teeth, fighting against the overwhelming pressure. His mind was a battlefield, and the signal was winning.

"We need to stop it," he said hoarsely. "We can't just run away."

Mira and Laz exchanged a look. They knew it was too late. The signal had already taken hold of the Vigilant—and they were all part of its plan now. The only way out was to break free from its influence.

Kaelen could feel it—the signal pulling, urging him to give in, to let go. It was so tempting. So easy.

But deep within, a flicker of resistance burned.

"We fight back," he said, looking up at Mira. "We have to fight back."

The entity's voice echoed through the ship, like a thousand whispers. You cannot escape. You are already ours.

But Kaelen's resolve solidified. This wasn't just about saving the ship—it was about saving themselves. He wasn't going to give in.

Not yet.