The city had barely begun to recover when Kael sensed a disturbance that went beyond the physical streets. The Null commander was no longer just attacking locally—they were manipulating the Nexus across multiple realities, creating ripples that threatened to collapse energy channels far beyond the city.
Aria's holographic interface flashed wildly. "Kael… these readings… it's not just the city. The Null commander is coordinating attacks across multiple nexus points simultaneously. The energy isn't contained—it's bleeding into adjacent realities."
Ryken's grip tightened on his weapon. "Multiple realities? How are we even supposed to fight that?"
Veyra's silver eyes glimmered with concern. "This is a scale you have not faced before, Kael. The Null commander is now using multiversal feedback as a weapon. The Nexus is reacting unpredictably to their influence. One misstep, and you won't just lose the city—you could fracture reality itself."
Kael's chest burned as he extended his senses. The Nexus pulsed violently, echoing the Null commander's influence. Waves of corrupted energy rippled outward, warping not just the streets but Kael's perception of time and space. For brief moments, he could see alternate versions of the city, fractured and destroyed, and whispers of failure crept into his mind.
"This isn't just about controlling energy anymore," Kael muttered. "It's about synchronizing with it… predicting the multiversal flow and shaping it before it shapes me."
Veyra stepped close, her shadowed form solidifying protective arcs around him. "You must merge foresight with instinct, Kael. Flow with the currents, anticipate the surges, and do not allow yourself to be consumed by feedback. The Null commander is testing not just your power, but your perception of reality itself."
Kael inhaled deeply, focusing on the flows of energy across multiple planes, visualizing the cascade of corruption and predicting the next ripple. He extended a controlled pulse, stabilizing one nexus point, then another, but the feedback was immediate—a sharp pulse of pain, a flicker of alternate timelines collapsing, and a whisper in the Nexus warning of overextension.
"This is only the beginning," Kael muttered, determination blazing through the exhaustion. "We survive this… or everything else dies."