53 Into the Nexus.

The Nexus loomed before them, a chaotic lattice of shifting platforms and glowing threads.

Threads quivered subtly like something just beneath their surface seemed to breathe in sync with the pulses of light.

It hummed with power, each strand pulsing like the heartbeat of a slumbering beast.

Zoe's fingers pressed into her denim shorts' pockets, like they could anchor her to something solid.

Her eyes narrowed, flicking from one thread to the next, watching the glow sync to a steady thrum. Each pulse tugged at something low in her gut, not quite fear, but a warning.

"Looks like a yarn shop went feral," she muttered, earning a snicker from Serria.

"If this is a yarn shop, it's got angry customers," Serria shot back, cracking her knuckles. Each sharp pop was like a little exclamation mark.

Zoe's eye twitched.

Her lips pressed into a hard line as she stretched her arms, fingers flexing with slow, deliberate precision.