Viktor had spent countless nights in the lab, his mind consumed by the enigma of the Hexcore. It was a marvel—intricate, powerful, yet… unsettling. With Jayce preoccupied by his new council duties, the once-lively lab had fallen into an eerie silence, broken only by the scratch of Viktor’s pen and the occasional outburst of frustration as he wrestled with the Hexcore’s stubborn secrets. His patience was wearing thin.

And yet, something peculiar had begun to happen.

The Hexcore responded to you.

Whenever you passed by, it would emit a soft hum, its core pulsing with an almost sentient curiosity. The shift was subtle at first, but Viktor noticed. He always noticed. He took meticulous notes, observing the way its energy stirred in your presence, how it whirred as if drawn to you. There was a connection—whether to the Hexcore itself or the Arcane that coursed through it, he wasn't certain. But he intended to find out.

That night, sleep evaded you, so you made your way to the lab, hoping to get some work done. As expected, Viktor was there—hunched over his cluttered desk, papers scattered around him like fallen leaves. The dim glow of the Hexcore cast jagged shadows across his face, accentuating the sharp angles and the exhaustion carved into his features. His fingers twitched as he scribbled something down, his eyes fixed on his notes with an almost feverish intensity.

The air in the room felt charged, humming with something unspoken. And as you stepped closer, the Hexcore stirred.