Hero found me. Not hunting. Asking. "Your presence weakens conviction. Villains hesitate near you." I know. "We need that. People are dying." I know. She looked tired too. First time someone didn't flinch. I said yes. Don't know why. Maybe tired of watching from outside. Maybe wanted to matter for something that wasn't collateral. She briefed me on the way. Hostage situation. Twelve civilians. Powered threat. "Just stand near him. Let the erosion work. We'll handle extraction." Simple. Should've known nothing involving me is simple. Arrived on scene. Villain had conviction. Absolute certainty he was owed something. I stepped closer. Thirty seconds. His hands started shaking. Powers flickering. "Why am I doing this?" Working. But. Heroes felt it too. Same radius. Same erosion. No targeting. Lead hero stopped mid-breach. "Wait. Why are we—" Hesitation. Three seconds. Villain's certainty cracked but so did hers. In that gap. One civilian moved wrong. One reaction delayed. I watched her fall. Thirty-four years old. Name was Diana. Worked accounts receivable. Had a cat. I know because I documented it. The archive took her whole. Zone anchored before she hit the ground. Her death. On loop. Permanent. Four blocks. Expanding. Villain surrendered. Couldn't hold conviction. Heroes extracted eleven. Win, technically. But Diana. Every six seconds. Same fall. Same impact. Same silence after. Residents evacuating. Can't sleep in a death loop. Can't sell property in a death loop. Can't heal in a death loop. News called it "Oraxis contamination." Heroes didn't correct them. Easier to blame the function than admit the system. Lead hero won't look at me now. Sees Diana falling every time she patrols this sector. Her hesitation. Her failure. Archived forever. I gave her that. I tried to help. Made it worse. Presence doesn't discriminate. Can't aim conviction erosion. Can't choose who doubts. Villain lost certainty. So did heroes. Diana paid the difference. I'm sorry. Said it to the hero. Said it to the zone. Said it to Diana's loop. Doesn't stop the spread. Archive doesn't care about intent. Still documenting. Still sorry. Still here. Tried to help. Won't try again.
