1 Prologue

The sprawling metropolis was cloaked in suffocating darkness, its towering buildings casting whispering shadows. Detective Ethan Calder paced uneasily in a desolate alley, a flickering street lamp illuminating graffiti-covered walls, symbols of hidden factions. His investigation led him to this forsaken place, where truth and deception blurred.

Restless, Ethan scanned the moonless sky, seeking solace amidst the obsidian canvas. In this perpetual night, he yearned for a revelation to unravel his haunting mysteries. Desperation flickered as he cast a wish into the starless abyss, hoping for truth, even if it meant embracing deeper uncertainty.

As if in response, a celestial anomaly streaked across the heavens, defiantly piercing the veiled sky. Ethan's widened eyes were drawn to its mesmerizing display. Hope surged through him, propelling him forward, transforming his wish into a fervent plea for deliverance from the shadows.

Whispers of wind carried his entreaty into the unknown. Then, a cataclysmic eruption shattered the stillness, tearing reality asunder. Ethan was hurled through a maelstrom of blinding light and deafening echoes, his perception warped.

When the tempest subsided, Ethan stood in an ethereal chamber, its source both unknown and strangely familiar. Advanced technology hummed with restrained power, a lattice of pulsating energy, secrets yearning to be unraveled. Bewilderment washed over him as his mind grappled with the blend of known and alien.

Adrenaline surged through him, his heart pounding in sync with racing thoughts. Summoning courage, he voiced the question that consumed him. "What is this place?" His words trembled, caught between awe and trepidation, seeking clarity amidst chaos.

Silence permeated the chamber, mocking his bewilderment. Doubts collided within, questioning reality's fabric. How had he arrived? Suspended between fear and curiosity, Ethan teetered on the precipice of uncertainty. In that moment, the haunting voice resonated in his consciousness:

"Welcome to the Nexus Penitentiary, Warden Calder."

With those fateful words echoing, Ethan's world shifted once again, propelling him into an intricate labyrinth of intrigue and danger. The truth awaited within Nexus Penitentiary's impenetrable walls, secrets destined to reshape his perception and test his very identity.