Choice.
It had always been simple before.
Fight.
Survive.
Win.
Even when the odds were impossible
Even when the cost was high
There had always been a direction.
A path forward.
But this
This was different.
Because now
Every path led to loss.
Nyxara remained still within the Origin.
Not physically.
But mentally.
Her awareness locked between two possibilities
Neither of which she could fully accept.
Continue rewriting
Become something like them.
Or stop
Remain incomplete.
Remain weak.
Remain unable to fight what was coming.
"…Nyxara."
Cassian's voice was quieter now.
Not weak.
But careful.
Like he understood exactly how fragile this moment was.
"We don't have time."
She knew that.
Because even here
Even beyond systems and structure
Something was still moving.
Still watching.
Still waiting.
The infinite presence hadn't spoken again
But its attention hadn't left them either.
And worse
Nyxara could still feel it.
