___________________________________
Southridge Hospital – Recovery Wing
Zara stared at the ceiling, fingers trembling against the IV line in her arm. Machines beeped softly, but her mind felt like static. She knew where she was. She knew who she was. But something was missing.
"What did I erase?"
Her own voice startled her. No one answered.
Her fingers twitched — an instinctive test of her flux control. She felt it there, deep within, still flowing. Still hers. But part of her memory chain was… blank.
Not someone else's.
Her own.
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Elsewhere — Southridge Public Gym (Backroom Dojo)
Elena stood in the center of a cracked ring, breathing steady. Across from her, Thorne circled like a predator.
"You're hesitating," he snapped. "Again."
She clenched her fists, shifting gravity in her legs. "I'm trying to regulate the drop zone. I don't want to crater the floor."
"Stop managing risk and start learning control. Power without certainty gets people killed."
He lunged — faster than she expected. She shifted mid-step, reversing gravity behind her to slam her body forward. It worked — barely.
She landed the hit. But he didn't move.
He raised an eyebrow. "Better. But you still think like a waitress trying not to spill a tray. You need to think like a weapon."
She dropped to her knees, panting.
"You said I was improving."
"You are," Thorne said. "Which means I can finally be harder on you."
He offered her a hand.
"Awakened means nothing if it breaks you in the field. Balance means knowing when to shift... and when to stand your ground."
________________________________________
Rico's Room – Late Night
Rico sat cross-legged on the floor, candles flickering around him. Two of his copies mirrored him exactly, lips moving in sync.
"Energy cycling," he muttered. "One breath per copy. In... out…"
Stabilize. Multiply. Integrate.
He was learning to sync his copies — not just split himself, but keep control of their thoughts. But every few seconds, one would twitch out of rhythm and vanish.
Pop.
"Damn. Too early."
He sighed, leaning back against his bed.
A framed photo lay beside him. He flipped it over. Too painful to look tonight.
"They're just copies," he whispered to himself. "Not company."
________________________________________
Marcus' Apartment – Rooftop Balcony
Marcus sat shirtless under the stars, bandages wrapping his torso. A small wind chime rang behind him. Time felt slower here — but naturally, not by flux.
He wasn't using his ability tonight. Just breathing.
"I need to stop relying on it."
When his Time Dilation kicked in, it was like the world moved in syrup. But the cooldown left him drained. That moment in the arena — grabbing Rico and Elena — had pushed him close to burnout.
He touched the ring on his right hand. His mother's.
"You raised me to run forward," he whispered. "But maybe I need to learn how to stop."
________________________________________
✦✦✦
The Eclipsed Circle — Hidden Base
Vincent stood in front of a holo-map of Southridge, lines of flux trails crossing the city like veins.
Mira entered behind him, arms folded. "The girl," she said. "The one who erased your memory."
"She didn't take much," Vincent replied calmly. "Only the moment. Not the intent."
"You sure?"
Vincent smiled faintly. "I'm still me, Mira. Don't mistake a lost footstep for a change of direction."
Mira paused.
"What if… some memories should be lost?"
Vincent turned slowly. Studied her.
"You doubt?"
"I remember every cry. Every scream. From every victim I've mirrored pain onto. I'm starting to wonder if your balance…"
"…is just another way to call cruelty justice."
Silence.
Then Vincent spoke gently.
"You're closer to breaking than you admit."
________________________________________
✦✦✦
Hospital Room – Morning
Zara finally stood. No alarms, no pain. Her flux was functional. But the memory was still gone.
Not just any memory.
One she cared about.
She looked in the mirror. Her eyes — once vibrant — now held the soft fatigue of someone who'd reached into a fire and come back burned.
Elena entered, quietly.
"You okay?"
Zara nodded. "Mostly."
Elena held up a steaming coffee. "Your favorite."
Zara took it slowly. "You remembered."
Elena smiled softly. "You forget enough for the both of us."
They sat in silence for a long while.
Zara finally whispered:
"He wasn't trying to kill us. He was trying to teach us a lesson."
"And I'm afraid he succeeded."