Ethan's body lay sprawled in the middle of the rubble, his breath shallow, his face pale. His jacket was shredded, and blood seeped from the searing wound in his shoulder where Alexander's spear had pierced him. The obsidian shard pulsed faintly in his pocket, as though struggling to keep him alive.

Nefera was kneeling nearby, her golden mask cracked and flickering. Blood dripped from her side where Alexander's spear had struck her, but her gaze was locked on Ethan. The weight of her guilt pressed down on her like a mountain.

Mia stood guard, her dagger trembling in her hands as she faced off against Alexander. Her green eyes burned with fury and fear, but the smile on Alexander's face made her blood run cold.

"Well, that was fun," Alexander said, twirling the Spear of Longinus in his hand. His sharp blue eyes scanned the ruined room before landing on Mia. "Now, let's finish this, shall we? I have places to be, and you two are becoming more annoying by the second."

Ethan stirred faintly, his vision swimming in and out of focus. His head throbbed, and his body felt like it was weighed down by lead. He could barely make out the blurred shapes of Nefera and Mia in front of him, standing between him and Alexander.

Move! he screamed in his mind, but his body refused to respond. His eyes locked on the glowing spear in Alexander's hands, and a shiver of fear coursed through him.

"This isn't happening... I can't be this useless," Ethan thought bitterly. The shard inside him pulsed weakly, as if it, too, had been drained from his earlier attempt to push his power.

Nefera staggered to her feet, clutching her side where blood seeped through her fingers. Her golden aura flickered weakly as she glared at Alexander.

"You betrayed us, Alexander," she said, her voice trembling with both pain and anger. "You killed them all. My friends... our family."

Alexander smirked, tilting his head. "Family? You still call them that? They were weak, Nefera, and so are you. That's why you'll lose, just like you did back then."

Mia tightened her grip on her dagger, stepping closer to Nefera. "We're not losing this time," she said, her voice sharp with defiance.

Alexander chuckled, shaking his head. "Do you even hear yourselves? Your little shadow boy over there is already out cold, and you two are barely standing." He raised the glowing spear, pointing it at them. "But if you're so eager to die, I'd be happy to oblige."

Nefera raised her hands, shouting an Egyptian incantation. Her golden mask flared to life, forming intricate glowing patterns across her body. Chains of golden energy materialized around her, coiling like serpents as they lashed toward Alexander.

Mia darted forward, her dagger gleaming with light as she aimed for Alexander's unguarded side.

With a smirk, Alexander spun the Spear of Longinus, deflecting Nefera's chains with a single, fluid motion. The glowing weapon sliced through the golden constructs as if they were paper, sending sparks flying in all directions.

"You're both so predictable," he said, his tone dripping with boredom.

Mia's blade came within inches of his ribs, but Alexander vanished in a blur of speed, reappearing behind her. He delivered a sharp kick to her back, sending her crashing into the rubble.

"Is that all you've got?" Alexander taunted.

Nefera roared, summoning more chains that lashed out from all directions. But Alexander was faster. His spear glowed brighter, releasing a wave of energy that shattered the chains before they could reach him.

"You're not fighting to win," Alexander said coldly, his gaze locking onto Nefera. "You're fighting out of desperation. And desperation never wins."

---

Ethan tried to push himself up, his body gave out, and he collapsed again, his vision fading.

Ethan found himself standing in a vast, surreal space. It was an endless void filled with floating fragments of obsidian that shimmered faintly, like fractured stars. In the center of the void stood a figure—calm, composed, and ominous.

The man turned toward Ethan with an unreadable expression. His silver hair glinted in the faint light, and his sharp features carried the weight of intellect and secrets.

“Welcome, boy,” the man said, his voice echoing softly in the void.

Ethan instinctively tensed. “Who are you? Are you with the organization?” He paused, his panic rising. “No—wait. I don’t have time for this. I need to save Mia and Nefera. Let me out!”

The man raised a hand, his voice calm and measured. “Calm down, boy. Let me answer your questions one by one.”

Ethan glared, frustration bubbling in his chest, but he bit his tongue.

“Your first question—‘Who am I?’” The man adjusted his glasses, his gaze steady. “I am Dr. Elias Harrow. I was one of the scientists researching the Shard’s power.”

Ethan’s breath hitched. “Harrow… You’re the one from the photo. Nefera mentioned you. But if you’re the one who made the shard, are you with the organization?”

Dr. Harrow shook his head. “That brings us to your second question. No, I am not with the organization. In fact, the organization exists because of my failure.”

Ethan frowned, his curiosity overriding his panic. “What do you mean?”

“There were thirteen of us,” Harrow said, his voice heavy with regret. “Scientists working together to unlock the secrets of the Shard. Your Obsidian Shard, to be exact, is the core of all artifact power. We sought to understand its potential, to learn why it bonded with humans. But one of us—my closest friend—betrayed us. He wanted to weaponize the Shard’s power.”

Ethan’s fists clenched. “And?”

Harrow’s expression darkened. “He killed the rest of us to take control of the research. Before I died, I hid the Obsidian Shard deep in the lab, where you later found it. It bonded to you, making you its user. That makes you both powerful… and vulnerable.”

Ethan’s mind raced. “So… what now? If you’re dead, how are you here?”

Harrow smiled faintly. “A fragment of my consciousness remains within the Shard. And you, Ethan, are here because you’ve pushed beyond your limits. You want to save your friends, but you lack control.”

Ethan growled. “Then teach me how! I can’t just sit here while Alexander kills them!”

Harrow raised a hand, silencing him. “Listen carefully. You will never win if you cannot control the flow of your power. The Shard’s energy is vast, infinite—but if you force it, it will destroy you before it destroys your enemies.”

Ethan’s voice cracked. “But how do I—”

“You’re out of time,” Harrow said, cutting him off. His form began to fade, the fragments of obsidian around them flickering. “Remember this: let the power flow. Don’t force it. Control comes with balance, not brute strength.”

“Wait!” Ethan shouted. “I still have questions! What’s your connection to Mia? Why was she in the photo with you? And who was the friend who betrayed you?”

Harrow’s fading voice echoed through the void. “We’ll meet again, boy. For now, go and save your friends. Remember—flow and control. Goodbye, Ethan.”

---

Ethan’s body jolted, his eyes snapping open. His vision was still blurry, but he could make out the chaos unfolding around him.

“You said flow and control,” he muttered under his breath, the words replaying in his mind. He clenched his fists, feeling the faint pulse of the shard’s energy within him. “Right. Let’s try this your way.”

For the first time, Ethan stopped resisting the Shard’s power. Instead of forcing it, he let it flow through him.

The moment he did, it was like opening a floodgate.

Heat surged through his chest, spreading to every part of his body. His muscles screamed in protest, his arms feeling like they weighed a ton, and his chest burned with the intensity of molten lava. But this time, he didn’t fight it.

The shadows around him erupted, forming a swirling cocoon of energy that glowed with a deep, pulsing purple.

---

Nefera staggered back to her feet, blood dripping from her mouth. She raised her hands, summoning the last remnants of her strength to attack.

Mia stood beside her, panting heavily but refusing to back down. “We can still do this,” she whispered, gripping her dagger.

Alexander sighed, his spear glowing ominously. “This is getting boring. Let’s end it, shall we?”

He moved faster than either of them could react, his spear cutting through the air like a blade of light, aiming for Nefera’s chest.

But before it could connect, a blur of motion intercepted the attack.

Alexander’s expression froze as the tip of his spear was caught mid-strike. A hand—covered in a dense, pulsating shadow—gripped the glowing weapon tightly.

“What?” Alexander hissed, his eyes narrowing.

Ethan stood before him, his entire body radiating power. His sleek black combat suit shimmered with purple veins of energy, and his glowing purple eyes bore into Alexander’s with unyielding intensity. The shadows around him moved like living creatures, coiling and snapping in anticipation.

“Flow and control,” Ethan muttered, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “Let’s try this again.”

Before Alexander could react, Ethan unleashed a downward blow with his free hand, slamming it into the ground. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the basement, creating a crater beneath Alexander and launching him 40 feet into the ground.

---

Ethan turned to Mia and Nefera, his voice steady despite his exhaustion. “We need to go. Now.”

Without waiting for a response, he hoisted Nefera onto his shoulder, her golden aura flickering weakly. Mia followed close behind as the three of them bolted from the ruined basement.

Behind them, the ground trembled as Alexander clawed his way back to the surface. His face was no longer amused but twisted with a dark grin.

“So now it’s about to get fun,” he muttered, dusting himself off. He raised the Spear of Longinus, its glow intensifying. “Let’s see how long you can run, little rats.”