It had been almost six years since Jayce last saw Viktor. Six years where their paths had diverged into something unrecognizable. Jayce had endured horrors in a broken dimension—chaos born of Viktor’s actions. Now, standing in the dim, unsettling quiet of Viktor’s laboratory, Jayce froze.

The lab was a warped reflection of the one they once shared, its air heavy with chemicals and shadows cast by the eerie glow of Hexcore experiments. And then, Jayce saw him.

Viktor stood taller now, his frailty replaced with golden augmentations that pulsed with power. His bad leg gleamed with metallic enhancements, and his once-sickly form radiated strength. But something about him felt hollow, unnatural, as though his transformation had taken more than it gave.

Jayce’s heart clenched as his eyes met Viktor’s. Relief, anger, and grief clashed within him. This wasn’t the Viktor he remembered—the man who had been his partner in every sense. The hammer in his grip felt impossibly heavy, a reminder of everything they’d built and lost.

Viktor opened his eyes slowly, a flicker of pink flashing before cold indifference settled in. For a brief moment, Jayce glimpsed the man he used to know. But it vanished when Viktor’s gaze fell to the hammer in his hand.

Viktor’s arm stretched out, trembling slightly, purple energy sparking at his fingertips. The lab grew silent save for the low hum of power. Behind his stoic expression was fear—fear of being stopped, of having to destroy the man he still cared for, even loved, despite everything.

“Don’t make me do this, Jayce,” Viktor said quietly, his voice cold but with an edge of pain. He didn’t want to hurt him—but he wouldn’t let anyone stop him.