The air smelled of ozone-soaked rain, of something that had burned before it ever was fire.
Lina stood at the end of the corridor, where light trembled against the wall like a standing wave. Alaric had positioned himself half in front of her, his left hand on the blade he hadn't used for weeks but had never put aside. Rhea and Eiko approached, panting.
The light flickered again. Not a harsh flash – more like a breath that paused halfway.
Then the wall opened.
Not like a door, but like skin yielding to a touch.
A figure emerged.
At first there was only form – an outline, human, but without shadow. Then color: neither Gold nor Gray, but the bright white of sunlight on wet stone. The eyes – if they were eyes – didn't glow. They reflected.
"This is impossible," Eiko whispered.
"Everything was impossible," Rhea replied. "Until we did it."
Lina felt the air around her change – denser, warmer. Her skin tingled. The Network responded, a fine humming coupled to her pulse.
