Chapter 2: The Cursed Path of Spartan
Spartan never told them about the voice.
The crystal fragment he touched had been smaller — but its energy was darker. While Red got strength, Spartan got something else.
Whispers.
They came late at night, in his dreams, in the spaces between heartbeats.
"Your brother stole what was meant to be yours…"
"You are stronger…"
"Join us…"
At first, he thought it was stress. A side effect of the crystal. But then the dreams got worse. He would wake up with claw marks on his walls. The mirror cracked for no reason. He heard someone call his name — but he was alone.
Then Kayla came to him in person.
She didn't threaten him. She didn't need to.
She offered him peace.
"If you want the voices to stop," she whispered, her hand brushing his, "join us. Help us retrieve what was taken. Help us fix what's broken."
Ramos stood behind her, arms crossed.
Spartan looked at his reflection in the glass that night. He barely recognized himself. His eyes were darker now. His skin paler. He felt powerful — but hollow.
Still, he loved his brother.
Didn't he?
But the power. The hunger. The voice. They were louder now than anything Red had ever given him.
So he said yes.
And with that, Spartan took his first step toward betrayal.