Vortex Origins

The maintenance bots swarmed the corridor, their limbs hissing and twitching as they began scrubbing the blood and shattered plating off the walls and floor.

The two Kaels stood on opposite sides of the hallway, both staring at Max.

Max didn't move.

His gaze flicked between them—calm, calculating, but something in his expression had hardened. Rage. Not loud or chaotic. A silent kind of fury, deep and waiting to burn.

Kael, who was nearest to him stepped forward, arms slightly raised in a gesture that didn't reach his eyes.

"Max, I'm glad you're here. I should've listened. I know that. But come on, just look at him. You can see it in his eye. The way it flickers. I'm the real one."

The clone's jaw clenched. His fists shook.

"You idiot. Listen to yourself. Look in a mirror before you talk. You're the one with the black eye, not me."

Kael turned to Max again, breathing sharply.

"You see what I mean? He doesn't even realize he's the clone. I tried to end him, but he's stronger than I thought."

The clone's voice dropped lower. It didn't tremble, but the weight behind it made Max's shoulders stiffen.

"Max. Don't fall for this garbage. You know me. I'm the original. I'm sorry about the mess... I didn't want it to go this far. I tried to kill him, but like he said, he's strong. He would be. He's me."

Both Kaels shouted over each other, like a duel fought with words, each demanding to be chosen, each trying to sound more real than the other.

Max wasn't listening anymore. His eyes drifted to the floor. His thoughts grew louder than their voices.

He let out a slow breath. Of course, he'd seen it—one of the Kaels had normal eyes, and the other... blackened eyes. But what did that even mean?

Wasn't this exactly what the device was designed to do when he first planned on making it? Replace the original. Turn it into the copy, then twist the copy into something real. Max rubbed his face with one hand, thoughts dragging him back to when he was planning to build that damn thing.

He scrapped the first idea and stuck with a standard duplication framework. Something safe and clean.

But this? This was neither.

Even the Tier 6 creature—The one whose brain he took to build the device never revealed which was the clone. They were exact. Down to the blood. This... this black-eye version wasn't exact. It was different. Glitched.

Was it a mark?

His gaze locked on the blackened eyes again. Maybe it was a signature. A flaw. Or maybe the real Kael had been overwritten... and the eye was all that remained. Like a scar.

But if that were true, why did both Kaels see the black eye when they looked at each other?

Max stared at them. There was no new way to know who the real Kael was.

No... maybe this was something else. Maybe the device was trying to evolve beyond its purpose. Or maybe he had been too careless. He'd been adjusting the duplicator to test Kael's theory, but left it on the table without a timer. That was reckless. He knew better.

He clenched his jaw.

'I should put an off-limits sign to keep people away from my lab. Yeah. That's what I should do.'

Max watched the two Kaels argue, their voices cutting through the tension like knives drawn in a narrow room.

His hand moved to the pouch strapped to his side. He had brought it for this exact moment.

Two small metal containers clinked as he pulled them out—identical to the ones he'd given Ash when Kael took his blade.

Both Kaels froze.

"Why do you have two of them?"

The other Kael raised a finger, his tone sharp.

"He's the clone. Has to be."

Max didn't flinch. His fingers tightened around the containers.

"You're both idiots. How am I supposed to guess which of you is real? One of you has the black eyes, but I don't even know what the hell that means. I'm not making a call until I test both of you."

They turned toward each other, a silent understanding—or suspicion—passing between them.

"Fine. If this clears the mess, I'll go through with it."

Kael's expression twisted. Confusion. Maybe something deeper.

"You're really okay with this? You know you're the one with the black eyes."

The clone met his gaze without flinching.

"I don't know what you're talking about. But if we both see the same black eyes, maybe Max should do whatever he needs to."

Kael smiled.

"Yeah, you're right. At least now we agree on something. I just hope the black eye doesn't mean originality."

The clone's lips curved with the same grin.

"Same."

Max tossed the containers. They cracked open in midair, erupting into thick smoke. Ropes surged out, slamming into both Kaels and wrapping tight around them, binding their limbs in a perfect lock.

Max didn't even glance back. He moved past them, boots echoing as he stepped into the corridor ahead. Behind him, the two bound figures began to follow—dragged by the pull of the containment ropes.

The clone looked down at the restraints, a low grin spreading.

"This brings back memories. I remember when you and Ash built these to contain me. Thought it was clever... but I broke free before you even blinked. Did you upgrade them this time?"

He turned his head toward Kael, eyes narrowing.

"I hope you did. Because I don't want this clone running around, wearing my face."

Max didn't stop walking.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure that doesn't happen."

Kael smiled, eyes fixed on the copy walking beside him.

"Look at you, trying to win points with memories. Sorry to disappoint, but Max won't fall for that."

The clone gave a laugh that didn't reach his eyes.

"Yeah, I know. But it's worth the try."

Max didn't stop walking. He kept his eyes forward, but his voice cut through the tension like a dull blade dragging through flesh.

"You both keep missing the point. Figuring out which one of you is the real Kael isn't the problem anymore."

He paused at the end of the hall. The shadows stretched around him, and the air behind him felt heavier than it should've.

"The real problem is what we do with the clone. Because clone or not... I can't just kill my brother."

Neither Kael answered. The silence between them wasn't empty. It breathed. It pressed against their chests like something alive.

One walked with his chin held high, sure of his right to exist.

The other walked just the same.

Each believed it. Each hated the other for believing it too.

The clone stared ahead, jaw clenched.

"I regret ever thinking of creating you."

Kael didn't look at him. His gaze drifted over the cracked tiles and faint flickering light above.

"Yeah. Same here."