Chapter 37: The Core's Final Test
Author: MrLostLetter
The hum of the Core vibrated through the walls, a steady pulse that resonated with the Codex in Ethan's veins. The connection between them was growing stronger, more intricate, as if the Core itself was reaching out—pulling him deeper.
"Ethan..."
Lena's voice was quiet, her hand still lightly brushing against his arm. Her touch was the only thing grounding him, keeping him from slipping further into the Codex's grasp.
"I'm still here," Ethan murmured, but the words felt heavier now.
Because he wasn't sure how much longer that would be true.
---
Dorian's fingers moved quickly across the holo-interface, his cybernetic implants processing the flood of data faster than any human mind could. His expression was grim, his jaw clenched as the Core's protocols adapted—faster than he could counter.
"The merge is accelerating," Dorian muttered, his voice tight.
Ethan's grip on the pulse blade tightened, the energy humming beneath his fingertips.
"How much time do we have?"
Dorian's eyes narrowed, his cybernetic eye flickering as he processed the shifting data.
"Minutes," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Maybe less."
---
Ethan's jaw clenched, the pulse of the Codex growing louder in his mind. It wasn't just a hum anymore. It was... speaking to him.
"You can feel it, can't you?"
Crowe's voice was quieter now, almost... satisfied.
"The Core isn't fighting you, Ethan."
Ethan's breath caught, his pulse quickening.
"It's..."
"It's embracing you."
Ethan's eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening.
"No."
"You're past the point of no return, Ethan."
Crowe's voice was softer now, almost... regretful.
"The Core doesn't want to control you."
Ethan's breath came faster.
"It wants to become you."
---
Lena's grip on his arm tightened, her eyes filled with quiet desperation.
"Ethan..."
Her voice was barely above a whisper now, her fear bleeding through.
"Don't let it take you."
Ethan's jaw clenched harder, his mind spinning as the Codex's pulse echoed louder in his veins.
"I won't."
But even as he said the words...
He wasn't sure if they were true anymore.
---
Dorian's holo-pad beeped sharply, the warnings flashing brighter as the Core's protocols shifted again.
"Ethan..."
Dorian's voice was tighter now, his jaw clenched as he processed the influx of information.
"The Core's not just merging with the Codex."
Ethan's pulse quickened.
"What do you mean?"
Dorian's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing.
"It's adapting to you."
Lena's breath caught.
"Adapting how?"
Dorian's fingers moved faster across the interface, his expression growing darker by the second.
"It's rewriting itself... to match Ethan's neural patterns."
---
Ethan's breath caught, his grip on the pulse blade tightening.
"It's not trying to control me."
The realization hit harder than he expected.
"It's trying to... become me."
The pulse of the Codex surged stronger, the hum vibrating through every nerve in his body.
"It's not just rewriting the Core," Ethan murmured, his voice barely above a whisper now.
"It's rewriting me."
Lena's eyes filled with quiet horror as the words sank in.
"Ethan..."
---
Dorian's jaw clenched as he processed the data faster, his cybernetic eye flickering as the information poured in.
"The Core's adapting to your neural network, Ethan," Dorian murmured, his voice strained.
"If it completes the merge..."
Ethan's pulse quickened.
"I won't be me anymore."
---
Lena's grip on his arm tightened, her eyes locking onto his with quiet determination.
"Then we stop it."
Ethan's jaw clenched as he met her gaze, the weight of the moment pressing down on him.
"We sever the connection."
Dorian's brow furrowed, his jaw tightening.
"If we do that..."
Ethan's pulse pounded louder, the Codex's energy thrumming harder in his veins.
"I know."
Lena's eyes filled with quiet desperation, but her resolve didn't waver.
"Are you sure?"
Ethan's jaw clenched harder, his grip on the pulse blade tightening.
"No."
But his voice was steady.
"But I can't let this happen."
---
Dorian's fingers moved quickly over the interface, his cybernetic eye processing the shifting data.
"If we sever the connection..." Dorian's voice was quieter now, almost... hesitant.
"The Core's entire system could collapse."
Ethan's jaw clenched.
"Then we make sure it doesn't."
Lena's hand brushed lightly against his, her touch grounding him for just a moment.
"Ethan..."
Her voice was softer now, her eyes filled with something deeper than fear.
"Don't lose yourself."
Ethan's breath caught, his pulse pounding louder.
"I won't."
But even as he said the words...
The Codex's pulse grew louder, the energy surging through him.
---
"You can't stop this, Ethan."
Crowe's voice was quieter now, but the weight behind it was heavier than before.
"The Core's rewriting everything."
Ethan's jaw clenched, his pulse pounding harder.
"Not if I stop it first."
---
Dorian's holo-pad flashed red again, the data streams shifting faster than before.
"Ethan..."
Dorian's voice was barely above a whisper now, but the urgency in it was impossible to ignore.
"The Core's preparing for a full system override."
Ethan's heart pounded harder, his mind racing.
"How much time do we have?"
Dorian's gaze hardened, his jaw clenched.
"Seconds."
Lena's eyes locked onto Ethan's, her expression filled with quiet desperation.
"Ethan..."
Ethan's grip on the pulse blade tightened, his jaw clenched.
"I can stop this."
But even as he said the words...
Ethan wasn't sure if he believed them anymore.
---
The Core's pulse surged again, stronger than ever before.
"This is your last chance, Ethan."
Crowe's voice was quieter now, almost... distant.
"If you don't stop it now... there's no coming back."
Ethan's breath caught, his jaw clenched as he pushed himself to his feet, his body weaker but his resolve unshaken.
"I'm not losing."
The Codex's pulse grew louder, the energy building as Ethan stepped toward the Core's interface.
"Ethan..."
Lena's voice was barely above a whisper now, but her eyes never left his.
"Come back."
Ethan's breath was steady now, his grip on the pulse blade unwavering.
"I will."
But as the Codex's energy surged again, stronger and more relentless than before...
Ethan wasn't sure if that was a promise he could keep.
---
Next Chapter: Chapter 38: Severing the Chain