Saving the Nexus

The Catalyst

The Catalyst. The name echoed in Sonia's mind as if the word itself carried a pulse. She turned the brittle pages of the ancient tome with trembling fingers, the musty smell of old parchment filling the air around her. Jermaih and Mariel leaned in close, their faces tense as they scanned the text over her shoulder.

"The Catalyst is... a person?" Mariel asked, her voice sharp with disbelief.

Sonia nodded slowly, reading aloud from the faded script:

"The Catalyst is neither artifact nor relic but a living conduit. It is said that through them, the Nexus may be unsealed, its power released to reshape the balance of realms. The Catalyst is bound to the Nexus by blood, by soul, by fate."

Jermaih exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "So that's what Neptune and Phionex are after. If they find the Catalyst, they can bypass the seals entirely."

Mariel frowned. "But the Nexus has been sealed for centuries. How could they possibly know who the Catalyst is?"

"The text says they're bound by blood," Sonia said, flipping through the pages. "If they can trace the lineage of the guardians, they might be able to figure it out."

"Do we know who the current Catalyst is?" Jermaih asked, his tone urgent.

Sonia shook her head. "There's no mention of anyone by name. Just that the Catalyst's powers manifest under great stress or danger—like an awakening."

The weight of her own words settled heavily in the air. The thought made Sonia's stomach churn. Could Neptune and Phionex already have the Catalyst in their sights?

"We can't let them find whoever it is," Mariel said firmly, closing her hands into fists. "If they get control of the Nexus, it's over for all of us."

"But what if—" Sonia hesitated, her voice faltering.

Jermaih gave her a questioning look. "What if what?"

"What if the Catalyst doesn't even know who they are?" Sonia said, her voice quiet. "What if... they're already here, in the academy, just waiting to be awakened?"

The idea made the room seem colder, the weight of possibility hanging over them like a stormcloud.

Mariel's gaze hardened. "Then we have to get ahead of them. We need to warn everyone. If the Catalyst is here, they could be in danger."

Jermaih shook his head. "We don't even know who to warn, Mariel. We don't have enough information yet. If we start spreading panic, Neptune and Phionex will know we're onto them, and they'll move faster."

Mariel opened her mouth to argue, but Sonia interrupted, her voice steady. "Jermaih's right. We need to figure this out quietly. We can't afford to make mistakes."

Mariel crossed her arms, her frustration evident, but she didn't argue further.

The three of them spent hours combing through the archives, searching for anything that might give them a lead on the Catalyst or Neptune's plan. Scrolls and books were spread out on the stone floor, their texts glowing faintly in the dim light of the chamber.

Sonia found herself drawn to an illustration in one of the scrolls—a swirling depiction of the Nexus's core surrounded by radiant energy. Beneath it were words etched in an ancient script she couldn't fully understand, but one phrase stood out:

"The Catalyst is both key and lock."

"What does that mean?" Sonia murmured, tracing the words with her finger.

"It means the Catalyst doesn't just unseal the Nexus," Jermaih said, looking over her shoulder. "They control it. They're the only one who can decide what happens next."

Sonia shivered. That much power in the hands of one person—it was terrifying. And if Neptune got to them first...

Suddenly, the faint sound of footsteps echoed through the passageways, breaking the tense silence.

"Someone's coming," Mariel hissed, her ears twitching.

Jermaih motioned for them to be silent, his hand going to the hilt of the small dagger he always carried. Sonia quickly extinguished the lantern, plunging them into darkness.

The footsteps grew louder, accompanied by the faint flicker of a flame. Sonia's heart pounded as she pressed herself against the wall, her breath shallow.

The figure entered the chamber, the firelight revealing her unmistakable silhouette. Phionex.

"Looking for something?" Phionex's voice was smooth and mocking, her golden eyes glinting in the firelight. She held a small orb of flame in her palm, its heat making the shadows dance around her.

Mariel tensed, her hands curling into fists, but Jermaih placed a hand on her shoulder, silently urging her to stay back.

"You've been busy down here," Phionex continued, her gaze sweeping over the scattered books and scrolls. "The Nexus archives are off-limits, you know. But I suppose rules don't matter when you're chasing secrets."

Sonia stepped forward, her voice steady despite the fear tightening in her chest. "What do you want, Phionex?"

Phionex smiled, the fire in her hand flaring brighter. "The same thing you do, Sonia. Answers."

Her gaze lingered on the book in Sonia's hands, and something dark flickered in her expression. "You've found something, haven't you?"

Sonia held the book tighter. "And if we have?"

Phionex tilted her head, her smile turning cold. "Then I'd suggest you hand it over. It's not safe in your hands."

Jermaih stepped beside Sonia, his voice calm but firm. "We're not giving you anything."

Phionex's smile widened. "I was hoping you'd say that."

The flame in her hand exploded outward, filling the chamber with searing heat. Sonia barely had time to raise a shield of water, the two elements colliding in a violent hiss of steam.

"Go!" Jermaih shouted, pushing Mariel toward the exit.

Sonia gritted her teeth, the strain of holding back Phionex's fire making her arms tremble. Jermaih grabbed one of the books from the floor and shoved it into Mariel's hands. "Take this and run! We'll hold her off!"

Mariel hesitated for only a moment before nodding, her violet eyes blazing with determination. She turned and sprinted toward the passageway, the book clutched tightly to her chest.

Phionex's laughter echoed through the chamber as she advanced, her flames growing hotter and more intense. "You can't protect them forever, Sonia. The Catalyst will belong to us."

Sonia's heart pounded as she held her ground, the water swirling around her in a desperate attempt to contain the firestorm. She didn't know if she could win this fight—but she knew one thing for certain.

She wouldn't let Phionex take the Catalyst. Not without a fight.