The world had made its decision.
Nexum stores were overflowing with people.
Long lines stretched outside bright medical facilities where technicians prepared the new implants.
The Neural Chip had become the center of every conversation.
Massive screens displayed testimonials.
People who could walk again.
People overcoming neurological diseases.
People connecting their minds directly to information networks.
Governments called it progress.
Citizens called it hope.
And Nexum called it evolution.
But not everyone saw it that way.
Deep within a Nexum central facility…
Two figures moved through shattered corridors.
Melissa.
Blue.
Laboratory alarms echoed through the complex as defense systems collapsed one after another.
Blue shattered a security panel with a burst of energy.
Melissa hurled a guard against a reinforced wall.
Explosions shook the structure.
Entire laboratories collapsed.
Screens shattered.
Servers burned.
Melissa breathed heavily.
“This is it.”
Blue nodded.
“Then let’s finish it.”
They continued forward.
Straight toward the heart of the facility.
High above them…
Inside a quiet office overlooking the city…
Eclipse stood in front of a massive window.
Beside him stood The Architect.
Eclipse spoke calmly.
“They’re coming.”
The Architect glanced toward him.
“Who?”
Eclipse smiled faintly.
“My daughter.”
A small pause.
“And her little friend.”
For the first time in a long while, The Architect showed surprise.
But he said nothing.
His face returned to its usual composure.
Eclipse continued while watching the skyline.
“I always knew.”
“I knew about the doubts.”
“I knew about the betrayals.”
“I knew about the meetings.”
Finally, he turned toward him.
“And now…”
His eyes were cold.
“I no longer need any of you.”
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then—
BANG
A gunshot echoed through the room.
The Architect staggered.
He looked down.
Blood began spreading across his chest.
Behind him stood Adrian, holding a pistol.
The Architect collapsed to his knees.
Breathing weakly.
He looked at Eclipse one last time.
“Melissa…”
He coughed blood.
“…will finish the work we should have done from the beginning.”
Eclipse looked down at him without emotion.
“I cared for you like a son.”
A pause.
“But I could never call you that after seeing how incompetent you are.”
The Architect collapsed.
And stopped moving.
At that same moment—
The office doors exploded open.
Melissa and Blue entered.
The Architect’s body lay on the floor.
Eclipse still faced the window.
As if nothing had happened.
“I knew you would come,” he said calmly.
Melissa stepped forward.
“This ends today.”
Eclipse smiled.
“I always expected my daughter to betray me.”
He slowly turned toward them.
In his hand was a small device.
“The self-destruct trigger.”
He raised it slightly.
“With this, you could erase Nexum entirely.”
Silence filled the room.
Then he tossed it gently toward Melissa.
She caught it.
But Eclipse lifted his other hand.
Another device.
He pressed the button.
A deep metallic sound echoed through the building.
The massive window began to split apart.
Walls shifted.
A gigantic hatch opened in front of them.
Something stood behind it.
A figure.
Still.
Almost identical to Melissa.
But its body was crimson red.
Its eyes opened.
In the next instant—
It moved.
Faster than anything human.
The figure shot forward and grabbed Melissa by the throat.
Lifting her off the ground.
Blue shouted.
“Melissa!”
The red replica tightened its grip.
Melissa struggled to breathe.
She looked at Blue.
Tears forming in her eyes.
“Go…”
she whispered.
“Blue… run…”
Blue shook her head.
“No!”
“GO!”
Melissa cried.
“ESCAPE!”
Blue trembled.
Tears streamed down her face.
But finally…
She stepped back.
And ran.
Out of the office.
Eclipse watched calmly.
“The greatest weapon has always been fear.”
He glanced toward the door where Blue had disappeared.
“Letting her escape is the smartest choice.”
His voice was cold.
“She will tell the world what she saw.”
The red replica still held Melissa in the air.
Melissa began to cry.
The Architect’s words echoed in her mind.
You are not special.
You will only end up torn apart.
Years Earlier
A much smaller office.
Two young people sat across from each other.
A boy and a girl.
Both speaking excitedly.
“This place could change everything,” the boy said.
The girl smiled.
“As long as we cover each other’s backs.”
The boy extended his hand.
“Deal.”
She shook it happily.
“Deal.”
“If either of us gets into trouble…”
“The other pulls them out.”
They both laughed.
With the naive confidence of people who still believed in the future.
Then the door opened.
A tall figure entered.
Eclipse.
He looked at both of them.
And smiled.
The boy glanced at the girl.
“I guess this is the beginning.”
She nodded enthusiastically.
“We’re going to change the world.”
The scene slowly fades.
And their names appear.
Seraphina.
The Architect.
Long before the world learned to fear them.
Story by Gerard Leaf and Blue
