LOGINThe Dissonance Protocol hit Damian like a physical wall, disrupting the frequency he'd been using to channel The Balance's power directly. The golden aura that had made him unstoppable flickered and dimmed, and for the first time since beginning his assault, he felt vulnerable, almost human again in his limitations."Perfect," Richard's voice echoed through the facility's speakers. "The protocol is working exactly as designed. Mr. Cole, you're about to learn that cosmic power means nothing when human technology can simply turn it off."Damian forced himself back to his feet, drawing on reserves of strength that didn't require channeling external power. He still had his enhanced capabilities. Still had three years of resurrection-granted abilities even without The Balance's direct manifestation but the overwhelming force he'd been wielding was gone, replaced by something merely superhuman rather than transcendent."Activate Phase Two," Richard ordered. "Deploy all remaining artific
The journey that should have taken hours Damian covered in less than forty minutes, his enhanced speed making him almost impossible to track. He moved through the city like a force of nature, barely touching the ground, using supernatural capabilities that went far beyond what anyone had witnessed previously. Richard's facility appeared ahead, all security lights and patrolling enhanced soldiers. Damian didn't slow, didn't alter his approach to something more tactical or subtle. He simply ran directly at the perimeter fence, his body surrounded by a golden aura that marked him as something beyond normal resurrection enhancement. The fence exploded as he passed through it, metal vaporizing under the manifestation of Balance-granted power. Enhanced soldiers responded immediately, weapons raised and firing, but Damian moved too fast for them to track. He was among them before they could adjust their aim, eliminating threats with strikes that left unconscious or broken bodies in hi
The door closed behind him, leaving me alone with the technicians and their instruments. The monitoring equipment continued recording every physiological response, every neural pattern, every aspect of my resurrection-enhanced existence. Somewhere in the facility, Damian was fighting his way toward me, walking into the same trap I'd created through my desperate attempt at sacrifice. I'd tried to save Aunty Dora and ended up saving no one. I'd thought surrendering myself would protect the people I loved, when really it just gave Richard exactly what he wanted. Now both Damian and I would become permanent research subjects, studied and dissected until Richard understood resurrection well enough to corrupt it completely. The door burst open and Damian appeared, moving with supernatural speed to eliminate the technicians before they could react. His eyes found mine on the examination table, and the relief in his expression was immediately replaced by horror as he saw the restr
The realization of my mistake came too late to matter. Richard had anticipated everything: my desperate choice to surrender, Damian's inevitable rescue attempt, even the timing that would allow him to capture both of us simultaneously. I'd walked into his trap thinking I was making a sacrifice, when really I was just delivering exactly what he wanted. "Stand down," Richard ordered into his radio as alarms continued wailing. "Let them penetrate the outer perimeter. I want them to reach the research wing before you engage." He turned back to me with satisfaction evident in every line of his face. "Your sacrifice was touching, truly. The selfless lover trading herself for her aunt's freedom except you've miscalculated in ways you don't yet comprehend. Your aunt is leverage precisely because you care about her. Why would I release my most effective tool for controlling you?" "You promised," I said, knowing how pathetic the words sounded. "I promised to consider releasing her i
"By the time you read this, I'll already be gone. I've decided to surrender to Richard, but not the way he expects. I'm giving him complete cooperation, full access to study my resurrection abilities, everything he wants. In exchange, he releases Aunty Dora unharmed. I know you'll say this is stupid, that I'm sacrificing myself for nothing, that Richard won't honor his agreement. You're probably right but I have to try. She's my family, Damian. The only family I have left. I can't let her die when I have the power to save her, even if that power is just my willingness to become Richard's research subject. Don't try to rescue me. Focus everything on getting Aunty Dora out safely. That's what matters now. She deserves to live more than I deserve another chance at life. I love you, I'm sorry, And thank you for showing me what it meant to truly live during my second chance. - Aria I attached coordinates to the message, delayed sending for thirty minutes, and quietly opened
The portal to The Balance's realm hung before us like a doorway made of condensed starlight, but I couldn't make myself step through it. My hand remained clasped in Damian's, both of us frozen at the threshold while precious seconds of the countdown ticked away. "I can't do this," I said, pulling back from the portal's edge. "We don't have time for negotiations with cosmic entities. Every minute we spend arguing with The Balance is a minute closer to my aunt's death." "The Balance exists outside normal time," Veena reminded me, her golden eyes reflecting the portal's light. "What feels like hours there could be seconds here, or vice versa. You won't know until you return." "That's exactly the problem," I replied, feeling desperation claw at my composure. "We could spend what feels like moments making our case, return to find the deadline has passed and Aunty Dora is already dead. I can't take that risk." Damian's grip on my hand tightened. "Then what's your alterna







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