Chapter 32: The Fracture Within
Author: MrLostLetter
Ethan's breathing was steady, but beneath the calm exterior, chaos was spreading. The Codex pulsed louder with every beat of his heart, the energy vibrating in his veins. His grip on the pulse blade was firm, but his hand trembled slightly. He could feel it.
"You're slipping."
Crowe's voice was quieter now, but the weight in his words echoed louder than ever before.
"I'm fine," Ethan murmured, his jaw clenched.
"Are you?"
The Codex pulsed harder, resonating with the Core's system, and Ethan's vision blurred for a brief moment. The line between his thoughts and the Codex was growing thinner.
"I'm in control."
But he wasn't sure how much longer that would be true.
---
Lena stood close, her pulse pistol in her hand, but her focus wasn't on the danger ahead. It was on Ethan.
"Ethan..."
Her voice was barely above a whisper now, filled with concern that she wasn't even trying to hide anymore.
"Look at me."
Ethan's eyes met hers, but for a moment, she wasn't sure if she was looking at Ethan... or whatever the Codex was turning him into.
"I'm fine," Ethan whispered, but Lena's expression hardened.
"Stop saying that."
Her voice was firmer now, but her hands were shaking.
"Because you're not."
Ethan's jaw clenched, but he couldn't argue.
"I can handle it," he murmured, but the tremor in his voice betrayed him.
Lena's eyes filled with something that cut deeper than any words.
Fear.
"Ethan... you're not yourself."
---
Dorian's fingers moved quickly across the holo-interface, his cybernetic implants processing the influx of data faster than any human mind could. His jaw was tight, his eyes narrowed as he scanned the Core's shifting protocols.
"Ethan..."
Ethan's eyes flickered toward Dorian, but he didn't speak.
"The Core's systems are..." Dorian's voice trailed off, his expression growing grimmer by the second.
"Adapting."
Ethan's pulse quickened.
"How bad?"
Dorian's jaw clenched as the data shifted again, the streams of code rearranging themselves faster than he could process.
"The Codex isn't just rewriting the Core." Dorian's voice was barely above a whisper now.
"It's rewriting you."
---
Ethan's breath caught, but he kept his expression neutral.
"I can stop it."
Dorian's eyes snapped toward him, his jaw tightening.
"Can you?"
Ethan didn't answer.
Because deep down...
He wasn't sure.
---
Lena's hand brushed lightly against his arm, grounding him for just a moment.
"Ethan..."
Her voice was softer now, her green eyes searching his with quiet desperation.
"Please..."
Ethan's jaw clenched, his throat tightening as he fought to push down the Codex's influence.
"I'm still here."
But even as he said the words, Ethan could feel the fracture growing deeper.
---
"You can't stop this."
Crowe's voice was quieter now, but it echoed through Ethan's mind with chilling clarity.
"You're fighting a battle you can't win."
Ethan's pulse pounded harder.
"I'm not giving in."
"Aren't you?"
Ethan squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the voice, but the Codex surged harder, the pulse growing stronger, louder.
"Ethan..."
Lena's voice was barely above a whisper now, but her touch kept him grounded—barely.
"Come back."
---
Dorian's holo-pad beeped sharply, the data shifting faster now.
"Ethan..." Dorian's voice was tight, his expression grim.
"The Core's reaching critical levels."
Ethan's jaw clenched, his breath steady but his mind spinning.
"How long?"
Dorian's eyes narrowed as his implants processed the data faster.
"Minutes."
Ethan's heart pounded louder.
"If we don't shut it down..."
"The Codex will rewrite everything," Dorian murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Starting with you."
---
Ethan's grip on the pulse blade tightened, the weight of the situation pressing down on him.
"We have to stop this."
Lena's hand brushed against his arm again, but this time, there was no softness in her touch.
"We can't lose you."
Ethan's jaw clenched, his pulse quickening as the Codex surged harder.
"You won't."
But even as he said the words, Ethan wasn't sure if they were true anymore.
---
The air grew heavier, the pulse of the Core growing louder.
"Ethan..."
Lena's voice was softer now, almost... pleading.
"Don't let it take you."
Ethan's breath caught, but the Codex's pulse was deafening now, the energy surging through his veins with terrifying power.
"I won't."
But the fracture was growing deeper.
And Ethan could feel it.
---
Dorian's holo-pad flashed with a warning, the data shifting faster now.
"Ethan..."
Dorian's voice was quieter now, but the urgency was impossible to ignore.
"The Core's not stopping."
Ethan's jaw clenched as he felt it—the Codex's energy binding itself deeper into his system.
"Ethan..."
Lena's voice was barely a whisper now, but the desperation was unmistakable.
"Come back to me."
Ethan's pulse quickened, his breathing steady but his mind spiraling as the Codex's influence deepened.
"I'm here."
But as the Codex surged again, binding itself deeper, Ethan wasn't sure how much longer he could hold on.
---
"You're losing yourself."
Crowe's voice was quieter now, but it echoed louder than anything else.
"Let go... or you won't come back."
Ethan's jaw clenched, his breath steady but his pulse pounding harder.
"I won't lose."
"Then prove it."
---
Lena's eyes locked onto his, her voice barely above a whisper now.
"Ethan..."
Ethan's grip on the pulse blade tightened, his jaw clenched.
"I'm still here."
But even as he said the words...
He wasn't sure if he believed them anymore.
---
Dorian's holo-pad beeped again, the warning flashing brighter now.
"Ethan..."
Dorian's voice was quieter now, his expression grim.
"The Core's not stopping."
Ethan's jaw clenched, his pulse quickening.
"How long do we have?"
Dorian's gaze hardened.
"Minutes."
Lena's eyes locked onto Ethan's, her expression filled with quiet desperation.
"Ethan..."
Ethan's jaw tightened, his grip on the pulse blade unwavering.
"I can stop this."
But even as he said the words...
The fracture within him was growing deeper.
And he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold on.
---
Next Chapter: Chapter 33: Breaking Point