The Nexus.

Before the next simulation started, Rem couldn't resist asking me a question. "Why did that last one feel so dramatic?" Her voice carried both curiosity and concern.

I looked away, avoiding her gaze as I prepared myself to answer. "The moment my siblings and I were taken away... it was like something inside me broke. That failure—it cut deeper than any knife ever could," I admitted, my voice heavy with emotion.

"You know," she began thoughtfully, "you're doing better than most people would. This level of training—it's brutal. Honestly, it's worse than what they call phase four training." Her attempt to comfort me didn't go unnoticed, but I couldn't bring myself to meet her eyes.

"I appreciate that," I replied quietly, "but some of what I'm experiencing... it's not all from my life. Some of those memories are mine, and some—they aren't."

Rem's curiosity was piqued, and she tilted her head slightly. "What do you mean by that?"

"Anyone who knows where my power comes from also knows its origin. My abilities... they're tied to the source of all metahuman powers," I explained carefully.

She furrowed her brow, trying to piece together what I had just revealed. "Wait, are you saying your powers come from—" she hesitated, then continued, "the first superhero?"

I nodded, finally turning to face her. "Yes. Somehow, I seem to share fragments of their past life. But ironically, I can't even make sense of my memories." The admission felt raw, but it was a truth I couldn't deny. "This connection—whatever it is—explains why the training earlier sent such confusing signals through the simulation."

Rem paused, her eyes narrowing as she considered my words. "Well," she said at last, "that's an interesting piece of information. But for now, we've got one more simulation to get through today. It's going to be a tough one. This time, it'll pull out the most traumatic experience from your past. Just remember—focus on the idea that it wasn't your fault. Let that guide you."

She tapped a few commands into the console, and the simulation began.

The chamber shifted, the walls dissolving into a new setting. I found myself standing in a school playground. My surroundings felt oddly familiar yet distant. Then I looked down at myself—I had taken on the appearance of my younger self, a version of me that I didn't recognize. This memory... it must've been from before my coma.

For a moment, I stood still, trying to make sense of it all. Then a group of kids came running toward me, their voices full of jeers. One of them, the largest in the group, shoved me hard. I stumbled, hitting the ground. "Watch where you're going, stupid!" he sneered.

Sadness welled up within me. I wanted to cry, but I reminded myself this wasn't real. Still, the pain felt tangible.

The bullies didn't stop there. They dragged me to a small pond in the playground and tossed me into the water. Drenched, I struggled to climb out, but they wouldn't let me. Each time I surfaced, another set of hands shoved me back under. The water was cold and unforgiving, and I felt helpless.

I glanced around, hoping to see Rem watching from a distance, as she often did during training. But she wasn't there. I was completely alone.

As I was plunged underwater again, something changed. Tendrils—dark, sinister, and impossibly strong—wrapped around my arms and legs, pulling me deeper. The sensation wasn't just physical; it was mental and emotional. It was as though the water itself embodied my worst fears and regrets.

A shadowy figure circled me like a predator, and soon more figures joined it. Each one took on a form that represented a painful emotion.

Fear materialized first, taking on the shape of one of the bullies. "You're a coward. Pathetic," it spat, its words cutting into me like a knife.

Anxiety appeared next, looking like an old friend from my past. "All you do is worry," it mocked. "Stop being such a wuss."

Then Guilt emerged, wearing the faces of my siblings. "You couldn't even save yourself. How could you save anyone else?" Their voices echoed in my mind, each word amplifying the crushing weight in my chest.

Loneliness and helplessness arrived together, taking the forms of my parents. "You have no one!" they screamed. "You'll always be alone!"

The simulation darkened further. I felt myself sinking, the weight of those words dragging me deeper into the abyss. But then, I broke through the surface, gasping for air. I collapsed onto the grass, trembling.

When I looked up, the bullies were there again. Only now, there were more of them, and they embodied all the emotions that had attacked me in the pond. My instinct screamed at me to fight back, so I did. But no matter how hard I tried, they overwhelmed me, and the cycle repeated.

Again, I was thrown into the water. Again, I was tormented.

Each repetition sapped more of my strength and resolve. Desperation clawed at me, but I couldn't figure out how to break free. Then, a new figure emerged—Hopelessness. Its voice was a guttural scream, chilling me to the bone. The sound was so disorienting that I fell to my knees.

"Go away," I murmured weakly.

But the feelings multiplied, surrounding me. "Leave me alone!" I shouted, desperation giving my voice strength.

Then, through the chaos, I heard a voice. "Kaleb."

It was distant but unmistakable.

"You can't get rid of me," my alter ego said as he stepped forward. The crowd of emotions dissolved into dust at his approach. He stood just a few feet away, a shadowy reflection of myself. "I am you. I am your feelings."

Anger surged within me. I wanted to destroy him.

"You'll never win," he taunted, his voice dripping with malice.

I snapped, tackling him to the ground. My fists flew, striking him again and again. But with each hit, his laughter grew louder, more mocking.

Exhausted, I staggered to my feet. "You're weak," he sneered, trying to provoke me further.

I closed my eyes, forcing myself to think. He wasn't going to let me escape—not like this. I realized the truth: I couldn't fight him. To win, I had to embrace him.

"I'm not weak," I said firmly. "You are—for trying to consume me. But I forgive you. I forgive myself."

With that, I stepped forward and hugged him. The moment I did, something shifted. By acknowledging these feelings instead of denying them, I began to feel lighter. The chains holding me back started to break.

The simulation ended abruptly. I opened my eyes to find Rem clapping softly, pride evident in her expression.

"You did it," she said simply.

But I couldn't hold it together any longer. Tears streamed down my face as the memories came rushing back, all of them hitting me at once. It was overwhelming, but it was also cathartic.

Rem knelt beside me, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Take a moment," she said gently. "You've carried these masks for so long. It's okay to set them down now."

For what felt like an eternity, I sat there, letting the emotions wash over me. When I finally stood, I felt different—lighter, more whole.

We wrapped up the day's training and headed to the living quarters. I knew the journey wasn't over, but for the first time in a long time, I felt ready to face whatever came next.