The flickering light of a dying torch cast jagged shadows across a narrow stone corridor, its walls etched with runes older than memory. Kael El, younger, unscarred, crouched in a forgotten Nexus outpost, his breath shallow, eyes wide with defiance. Vara knelt beside him, her silver hair glinting, her blade steady, her voice a fierce whisper. "Stay sharp, Kael—Nexus hunters are close. You're not just blood, you're fire. Don't let 'em break you." Her hand gripped his, her trust a lifeline in the dark. The Nexus loomed then, its pulse a suffocating weight, the Error's shadow whispering through their veins. Kael's heart raced—Vara, I won't fail you. A hunter's boot echoed closer, and Vara's grin flashed, fierce and sure. "We're free, Kael—fight for it." The memory blurred, torchlight fading, her hand slipping away.