Max’s words hung in the air—*I’m in.* The second they left his mouth, the world around him seemed to exhale. The hum of energy intensified, filling the room with a low, rhythmic vibration that resonated through his body. It was as if the universe had been waiting for him to say those words, to accept whatever destiny was now in front of him.

Orin, the tall figure standing before him, dipped his head slightly. “Then it begins.”

The chamber brightened, and Max had to squint against the glow. The metallic walls shimmered, and the faint outline of more symbols—different from the ones on the platform—came into focus, glowing softly, like circuitry coming to life.

“This place,” Max asked, “what is it? Where am I?”

Orin gestured around him, sweeping a hand across the vast room. “You are in the Threshold, a gateway between worlds. This chamber exists at the intersection of your world and many others. The Nexus uses these gateways to connect, to observe, and when necessary, to intervene.”

Max nodded slowly, though the explanation only half made sense to him. It was like something out of a sci-fi movie, but standing here, in the middle of it all, it didn’t feel like fiction anymore. This was real, and the implications sent his mind spinning.

Before Max could ask another question, the platform beneath him shifted slightly, a soft mechanical whir echoing through the room. The glowing symbols on the floor faded and reformed, new patterns emerging, more complex than the ones before.

“We are preparing for your initiation,” Orin said. “But first, there are things you must understand.”

Max took a step forward, unsure of what was coming next. “Like what?”

Orin’s glowing eyes fixed on him. “You have been chosen because of your unique connection to the Nexus. The dreams you’ve had, the signals you’ve received—they are not random. They are the result of an innate ability within you, an ability to tap into the energies that connect worlds.”

Max furrowed his brow. “An ability? I don’t feel... special.”

“Few do at first,” Orin replied. “But this connection will grow stronger the more you learn. The Nexus has been calling to you for some time now, but you were not ready to hear it—until tonight.”

Max felt a chill run down his spine. He wanted to ask a million questions, but Orin continued before he could.

“There is a vast network of worlds, all connected by something we call the *Tether.* It is an invisible web, stretching across dimensions, holding everything in balance. But that balance is fragile, and in recent cycles, we have seen disturbances. Something is threatening to unravel the Tether, to break the connection between worlds.”

Max’s heart pounded. “And you think I can help stop it?”

Orin nodded. “Not just you. There are others—guardians of the Nexus—who have been tasked with protecting this balance. But they cannot do it alone. You, Max, are a potential guardian, chosen for your connection to the Tether.”

Max took a deep breath, his mind racing. A guardian of the Nexus? Just hours ago, he had been worried about homework and meeting up with Jake. Now he was standing in some kind of interdimensional gateway, being told that he might be responsible for keeping worlds from falling apart.

It was too much.

“What if I can’t do it?” Max asked, his voice quieter than before. “What if I’m not the right person?”

Orin stepped closer, his presence towering but not threatening. “The Nexus does not make mistakes, Max. You have already begun your journey, and though you may doubt yourself, you must trust in the path that lies ahead.”

Max wanted to believe that. He wanted to believe that this was all happening for a reason, that there was something inside him capable of rising to this insane challenge. But he didn’t feel ready. Not even close.

“What’s next?” he asked, feeling the weight of the question settle on his shoulders.

“Now,” Orin said, “you must take the final step.”

Max frowned. “What step?”

Orin extended a hand, and suddenly the room darkened again. The stars above the massive window shifted, their light dimming as the chamber transformed. The platform Max stood on began to rise, floating slowly upward. He glanced down and saw the ground drop away beneath him, replaced by an endless expanse of stars.

A few seconds later, the platform came to a stop, and Max found himself standing before a glowing doorway—an arch of light that pulsed with energy. Beyond it, he couldn’t see anything, just a vast, swirling emptiness.

“This is the Threshold’s gate,” Orin said, his voice steady and calm. “Once you pass through, you will be fully connected to the Nexus. You will experience things beyond your current understanding, and the Tether will become part of you.”

Max stared at the glowing arch, the light casting strange shadows across his face. His mind raced. This was it. The point of no return. If he stepped through that gate, his life would be changed forever.

He thought about his mom, about Jake, about the normal life he was about to leave behind. Would he ever be able to go back to any of it? Would he still be the same person once he crossed that threshold?

“What happens if I don’t go?” Max asked, a tremor of doubt in his voice.

Orin’s gaze softened. “You will return to your world, and the Nexus will seek another. But the disturbance in the Tether will continue, and eventually, the balance will fail.”

Max swallowed hard. The stakes were clear now. This wasn’t just about him—this was about everything. Worlds. Balance. A cosmic order he couldn’t even begin to understand.

And yet, standing there in the glow of the gate, with the stars stretching out infinitely around him, he knew what he had to do. Deep down, in the pit of his stomach, he had known it from the moment he woke up from the first dream.

Max turned to Orin, his voice steadier now. “I’m ready.”

Orin inclined his head. “Then step through.”

Max took a deep breath and moved toward the arch. The light was almost blinding now, a brilliant white glow that pulsed with energy. His heart raced as he reached out his hand, feeling the warmth of the light against his skin.

And then, without hesitation, he stepped through.

---

The moment he crossed the threshold, Max’s world exploded. Light and energy surged around him, filling every corner of his mind and body. He felt weightless, like he was floating in an endless sea of stars. Colors and shapes swirled around him, incomprehensible and beautiful.

He could feel the Tether now—an invisible thread stretching out in all directions, connecting him to something vast and ancient. It pulsed with life, with energy, and Max could feel it coursing through him, linking him to the Nexus and the worlds beyond.

Suddenly, he saw visions—brief, fragmented images flashing before his eyes. A dark, shadowy figure moving through a city. A world torn apart by chaos. A glowing symbol burning in the sky. And through it all, a voice whispered in the back of his mind, a faint but powerful presence guiding him forward.

*You are connected now, Max Arwen. The Tether is part of you.*

The visions faded, and Max found himself back in the chamber, standing on the platform. His body felt different, lighter but more alive than ever before. The room seemed clearer, the stars brighter, and he could *feel* the energy of the Nexus humming around him.

Orin was standing in front of him, watching silently.

Max took a deep breath. “I... I felt it. The Tether. The connection.”

Orin nodded, his glowing eyes flickering softly. “You are one of us now, Max. A guardian of the Nexus.”

Max’s mind was still reeling, but one thing was certain—there was no turning back. He had crossed the threshold. The Tether was part of him now, and his journey was just beginning.

“What happens next?” Max asked, his voice steady.

Orin’s gaze shifted toward the stars. “Now, Max Arwen, you explore. You protect. And you learn the true power of the Nexus.”

Max looked up at the stars, feeling the vastness of the universe stretch out before him.

And for the first time in his life, he felt ready.