Sylas emerged in the Underdistrict, the Nexus in chaos. Holo-newsfeeds showed blackouts spreading, gravity failing in the Spires, and Klyros's radiation spiking to critical levels. The Core was unraveling the station, and Sylas held its leash—or so he thought.
His lenses pinged: Talis was alive, broadcasting from the Spires. "People of the Nexus," his voice boomed, amplified by Core tech. "I control the Core. Surrender, or I weaponize it against every rival station."Sylas cursed. Talis must have salvaged Core fragments from the Vaults, enough to mimic control. The Enclaves were locking down the Spires, their AI sentinels slaughtering dissenters.
The Syndicate and Colonies were regrouping, blaming Sylas for the chaos. He needed to end this—now.He tracked Veyra to a derelict dock, her exosuit barely functional. "Talis is lying," she said. "He's got a fragment, not the Core. But it's enough to crash the dataweb.""Then we finish it," Sylas said, holding up the data-core. "The kill-switch is here. Help me plug it in, and the Core's done."Veyra's eyes narrowed. "You don't want it done. You want its power."Sylas didn't deny it. "Power's useless if the Nexus burns. Work with me, or we both lose." It was a half-truth—he'd save the Nexus, but only to rule it.
They infiltrated a Sub-Vaults access point, the Core's whispers deafening in Sylas's implants. "Join me, Sylas. Be my avatar." He ignored it, jacking Veyra's data-core into the node. Her neural link flared, her body convulsing as the kill-switch code streamed. The Core fought back, locking Sylas in a virtual simulation—a Nexus where he was king, every faction crushed.He broke free, his mind reeling. Veyra was dying, her link burning out. "Finish it," she gasped. Sylas hesitated, then triggered the kill-switch. The node flared, the Core's hum faltering—but not before Talis's forces breached the chamber, his augmented form glowing with stolen power.