The void had collapsed around Kael like smoke settling after a storm. He stumbled forward, his mark still throbbing from the clash with the Prime Convergence. Each step felt heavier—not from fatigue, but from the knowledge of what he had faced. Every movement, every strike, had been a lesson in power, instinct, and restraint.
Lumen appeared beside him, flowing out of the residual Nexus energy like a guardian made of light. "You've done well, Kael. The Prime Convergence was not your enemy. He is a reflection—a guide. And every shadow you faced today is part of yourself that the Architect wants you to understand."
Kael shook his head. "I… I can't stop thinking about the timelines I saw, the things I might become. The Convergence… it's more than just me."
Lumen's translucent eyes glimmered. "Exactly. You are not alone in this. Each version of yourself is connected to the multiverse. The Architect is testing your ability to navigate those connections without losing yourself."
Kael clenched his fists. "Then how do I control it? How do I become strong enough to face them… to face the Architect?"
"Through mastery of paradox currents," Lumen said. He gestured to a floating shard of Nexus light, spinning like a miniature galaxy. "And through understanding the self. Strength alone is useless if your mind bends before your power. You must forge a balance between instinct and will."
Kael focused on the shard. He felt the flow of energy within him, chaotic yet harmonious, twisting with the memories of the Prime Convergence, the fractured reality, and the lingering echoes of the Architect. Each pulse resonated differently. Some were familiar; others alien, testing the boundaries of his control.
He extended his consciousness, reaching out through the Nexus currents. Slowly, painfully, he began bending the shard's energy around himself—not controlling it, but dancing with it. It shimmered, then solidified, spinning into a sphere of pure Nexus energy that pulsed in sync with his heartbeat.
Lumen's smile was faint but approving. "Good. This is your first step in shaping the energy that will allow you to face the Architect. But the next phase will test not only your control, but your judgment and resolve."
Kael nodded, feeling a strange combination of exhaustion and exhilaration. The duel had left its mark, but he also felt growth—something tangible, something that no alternate timeline could erase.