Chapter 11: Fractured

 LoyaltiesChapter 11: Fractured Loyalties The test changed everything. Not publicly. Not officially. But quietly. Behind closed doors. For three days, Mustak was not sent on any missions. No field work. No patrols. No Silent Zone assignments. He remained under observation. Sensors tracked his heartbeat. Energy monitors tracked internal fluctuations. But the poison stayed calm. Too calm. In a private meeting room, tension filled the air. Several senior officials sat around a long table. Tosif stood at one end. Afzal leaned casually against the wall, silent. “He broke containment,” one official said sharply. “Three layers.” “And he regained control,” Tosif replied. “After how much damage?” “Minimal.” The official’s voice hardened. “We cannot risk another anomaly.” Afzal finally spoke. “You’re already too late to stop it.” The room fell silent. All eyes turned to him. Afzal continued calmly. “If the fragment inside him is what I think it is… removing him won’t remove the problem.” “And what do you suggest?” another official demanded. Afzal’s eyes shifted slightly. “We watch.” A pause. “And prepare.” Later that evening, Mustak stood alone in the warehouse training hall. He threw punch after punch into reinforced steel plates. Each strike dented them deeper. But his expression wasn’t angry. It was focused. Controlled. “You’re holding back,” a voice said behind him. Mustak didn’t turn. “Am I?” Afzal stepped closer. “Yes.” Silence lingered between them. “You saw something in that chamber,” Afzal said. “Yes.” “And it scared you.” Mustak finally looked at him. “No.” Afzal raised an eyebrow. “It confirmed something.” Afzal folded his arms. “Tell me.” Mustak’s gaze didn’t waver. “The power inside me isn’t growing.” A pause. “It’s remembering.” For the first time, Afzal’s relaxed posture shifted slightly. “That’s worse,” he said quietly. Suddenly, alarms blared through the facility. Not field alarms. Internal ones. Red lights flashed across the ceiling. Tosif’s voice echoed through the speakers. “All active Destroyers report to Level B immediately.” Afzal and Mustak exchanged a look. Then moved. Level B was not a mission floor. It was a holding level. Prison cells. Special containment. When they arrived — Half the reinforced doors were open. And the guards were unconscious on the ground. Energy residue filled the air. Familiar. Purple. Mustak froze. “That’s not mine,” he said instantly. Afzal nodded slowly. “I know.” At the end of the corridor — A tall figure stood. Back turned to them. Calm. Still. White uniform torn at the sleeves. Long dark hair. The air around him shimmered faintly. Tosif stood several meters away, weapon ready. “You shouldn’t be awake,” Tosif said coldly. The figure turned slightly. His eyes were not white. Not glowing. Deep violet. Like Mustak’s. “Who is he?” Mustak asked quietly. Afzal’s voice lowered. “The first fragment carrier.” The man smiled faintly. “I prefer my name,” he said. “Arman.” Arman stepped forward casually. The floor cracked beneath each step. “You’ve raised him well,” Arman said, looking directly at Mustak. “Who are you?” Mustak demanded. Arman tilted his head slightly. “A version of you.” The air grew heavier. Mustak felt the poison inside him react violently. Not in rage. In recognition. Tosif fired first. A concentrated energy round struck Arman directly in the chest. It dissolved before impact. Like mist. Arman didn’t even look at him. Afzal moved next. Faster than before. He appeared beside Arman and struck. The impact shattered part of the corridor wall. Dust exploded outward. When it cleared — Arman stood untouched. He looked at Afzal. “You improved,” Arman said calmly. Afzal stepped back slightly. “So did you.” Mustak stepped forward. “Why are you here?” Arman’s eyes locked onto his. “To see how far you’ve progressed.” A pause. “And to warn them.” He gestured casually toward the officials behind reinforced glass. “They think they control fragments.” He smiled faintly. “They barely survived mine.” Suddenly, Arman’s energy flared. Not explosive. Dense. Compressed. The entire level shook violently. Mustak felt the void again. The same presence from the chamber. But stronger. Closer. Arman stepped closer to him. “Do you know why mine awakened?” Arman asked quietly. Mustak clenched his fists. “No.” Arman leaned slightly closer. “Because I stopped resisting.” The words echoed in Mustak’s mind. Afzal moved instantly, placing himself between them. “That’s enough,” Afzal said sharply. Arman looked at him. “I’m not here to fight.” A pause. “Not yet.” He turned back to Mustak. “When the fragment calls louder…” His violet eyes gleamed faintly. “…don’t let them cage you.” The lights flickered violently. Energy surged through the corridor. And in the next second — Arman was gone. No explosion. No collapse. Just absence. Silence filled the damaged level. Emergency systems began stabilizing. Tosif lowered his weapon slowly. Afzal stared at the empty space where Arman had stood. “He’s stronger,” Tosif muttered. Afzal nodded. “He stopped fighting it.” Mustak stood still. Processing. “A version of me,” he whispered. Afzal glanced at him. “Yes.” A pause. “And a possible future.” That night, Mustak didn’t dream of the void. He dreamed of himself. Standing in Arman’s place. Calm. Unstoppable. Unbound. And when he woke up — The poison inside him felt quieter. But deeper. Like something waiting patiently.