Building The Strongest Family

Chapter 418: The Veil Of Duality [ 1 ]

As dawn crept over Dominion Sanctum, it didn’t burst onto the scene in a blaze of color. Instead, it bathed the landscape in a gentle, pale gold.

The light delicately caressed the rooftops, gardens, and the endless expanse of glass and steel, draping the estate in a serene beauty that was especially striking at sunrise.

But today, the light felt softer,almost hesitant,as if the world was holding its breath, anticipating a change.

Inside Arthur’s study, however, the morning glow barely reached him. The heavy curtains were drawn halfway, letting only thin slivers of light flicker across the sleek, dark floor, like quiet veins pulsating in stillness.

The air was thick with a calmness that felt almost oppressive. Arthur sat quietly at his desk, facing a large black screen filled with medical reports, geopolitical charts, and supply chain graphs.

Yet he barely took it in, his eyes skimming the data while his mind wandered into neglected thoughts and memories. A glass of wine, half-full and untouched since the night before, sat beside him.

He maintained a disciplined posture, straight and composed, breathing steadily, a rhythm he had studied meticulously over the years. Although his eyes appeared calm, there was an unsettling quality to that calmness, an absence of emotion that hung in the air.

The room thrummed softly with the quiet strength of the estate’s heart. Above the desk, holographic screens rotated slowly, transitioning with whispers of light that seemed almost magical. It felt as if time itself had paused.

Then, a shift occurred. A low resonance moved through the air like a deep exhale. Blue particles began to gather, drawn from the ambient light, forming a faint silhouette that gradually became a humanoid shape, threads of soft luminescence weaving together.

Evolon had arrived. The figure solidified into a sleek, transparent form, fine blue lines tracing along its limbs. Its presence was quiet yet unmistakable, like a gentle tide meeting the shore.

"Patriarch," Evolon intoned, its voice deep and measured, carrying an unusual hint beneath the surface.

Arthur didn’t look up immediately; he allowed the last line of data to fade from the screen before closing it with a flick of his wrist. Only then did he lift his gaze.

"What is it, Evolon?" he asked, maintaining a steady tone. Evolon’s luminescent face shifted slightly, revealing the faintest hint of hesitation,an expression Arthur had never seen before.

"Patriarch..." Evolon began again. "The Veil of Duality is ready."

A profound silence enveloped the study. It wasn’t a cold silence or an oppressive one, but rather a stillness that made the world pause, like an audience waiting breathlessly for the next act.

Arthur’s fingers rested lightly on the desk, now motionless.

Evolon continued, its voice solemn: "The chamber is fully prepared. System safeguards have been thoroughly tested. Neural simulations have exceeded all thresholds. Everything is ready for the procedure."

The projections flickering above the desk dimmed, as if the room itself felt the weight of Evolon’s words. Arthur remained silent, weighing his options.

Months—no, years—of suppressing emotions had taken their toll, tightly controlled under the pressure of survival and duty. Now, for the first time in what felt like ages, something beneath that frozen surface began to crack.

His left hand twitched. It was a subtle movement, almost imperceptible, but Evolon saw it all.

Arthur balled his fist slowly, trying to steady his breath, yet the tremor resonated deeper than simple nerves. It came from a place within him he had long avoided,intentionally and steadfastly.

"Patriarch," Evolon said softly, its voice almost human, "your autonomic responses suggest elevated activity. Your heart rate is increasing. Neural tension is on the rise."

Arthur leaned back in his chair, letting out a quiet sigh.

"It seems," he said softly, "that even after all this time, certain parts of me still react."

Evolon stepped closer, its holographic display glowing brighter in the dim surroundings.

"Patriarch, the Veil of Duality was designed precisely for this: to bring back what was lost and reclaim what the System has kept hidden."

Arthur raised his eyes.

A faint light shimmered in his gaze,not a spark of power, but something far more delicate: emotion.

"What’s the latest on my diagnostics?" he asked, though the slight quiver in his voice hinted at his inner turmoil.

"Stable," Evolon responded. "Neural integrity is at ninety-nine point six percent. Emotional reconstruction is fully in sync, and memory coherence is within safe levels."

"And what about the chamber?"

"It’s completely sealed. Neural isolation is active, and core frequency alignment is optimal."

Arthur slowly pushed himself up from his chair.

Even this minor movement felt unusually burdensome, as if his body had finally acknowledged the immense significance of this day.

His gaze drifted toward the door,the passage leading from his study down the hallway, toward the heart of Dominion Sanctum, where the Nexus Core Chamber awaited.

For the first time, he paused.

Not out of fear of failing.

But from an emotion he hadn’t felt in ages, one that had faded into a mere whisper in his memory: hope.

Evolon watched him quietly, its voice becoming softer.

"Patriarch... once we start the procedure, you might experience emotional flashbacks and raw responses. Memories you thought you had buried could resurface."

Arthur’s breath caught just a bit.

Though he tried to hide it, Evolon picked up on the subtle shift, like a sensor detecting the distant flicker of lightning.

He ran a hand through his hair, forcing himself to steady his nerves.

"It’s been... an eternity," he admitted quietly. "Too long."

"Yes," Evolon confirmed. "But the true you is still there, waiting."

Arthur’s expression sharpened—something ignited in his eyes.

A memory. A feeling. A truth.

Evolon continued, this time with unwavering confidence:

"Today, Patriarch... you reclaim your essence."

Arthur felt a tightness in his throat,not in a physical sense, but in that subtle, emotional way he hadn’t experienced since his early days in this world.

The Osborn family. The assassins. The long nights of survival. The System’s frigid grasp on his mind.

He had endured it all without feeling.

Without fear. Without joy. Without pain.

But also... without himself.

He turned back to the darkened window, watching as the first genuine rays of dawn broke through Dominion Sanctum.

Soft light warmed his face.

Evolon’s voice broke the silence one final time:

"Patriarch... should I initiate chamber activation?"

Arthur closed his eyes.

Memories flowed through his mind like soft whispers,a cramped apartment on Earth, the fatigue, the sudden loss, waking up in Panterra, the first assassination attempt, and the deal struck to save his family.

And the long, lonely path that followed.

His lips parted, and his voice, low but steady, emerged.

"...It’s time."