The Weave had been glowing brighter for days. Not the usual warm pulse that marked steady growth, but a sharp, insistent shine that cut across every node. Atlas stood on the central platform, arms crossed, watching data streams scroll past. The readings were clear. Something big was coming.
"It's not just light," Kael said, tapping a panel beside him. "It's a pull. Like a beacon dragging attention from deep space."
Clara leaned against the rail next to Atlas. "Then we treat it like any other problem. Prepare, don't panic."
Word spread fast. Nodes lit up with alerts. Instead of fear, the Weave responded with motion. Flick was the first to turn it into something useful.
"Listen up!" Flick's voice boomed across the main gathering square, amplified through every connected speaker. "This incoming Nexus Storm isn't here to wreck us. It's a test. And we're going to win it with games."
Torval snorted from the crowd. "Games? While a cosmic meat grinder heads our way?"
