The facility was quiet.
Too quiet.
Workers moved through shattered hallways.
Damaged walls were repaired.
Broken equipment was replaced.
Yet no one smiled.
No one celebrated.
Because everyone remembered what had happened.
The Devourer was dead.
But its final words remained.
"They will come for you."
Kael sat alone in the medical wing.
A bandage wrapped around his shoulder.
His ribs still hurt.
His body still ached.
Yet compared to before—
He felt stronger.
Different.
The synchronization with Aetherion had changed something.
He could feel it.
Like a door inside him had opened.
A soft knock came from the doorway.
Kael looked up.
The stranger entered.
The one who had brought him here.
"Feeling better?"
Kael shrugged.
"I've been worse."
The stranger laughed.
"That's probably true."
For a moment, silence settled between them.
Then Kael asked the question that had been bothering him since the battle ended.
"How many?"
The stranger frowned.
"How many what?"
"Cores."
The room grew quiet.
The stranger's expression darkened.
"Not many."
Kael remembered the star map.
The lights disappearing.
The endless darkness beyond them.
"The Devourer said there were others."
"There are."
"And they're alive?"
The stranger hesitated.
"Some."
That wasn't reassuring.
Kael looked away.
"Aetherion says they know he's alive now."
The stranger froze.
For the first time—
He actually looked worried.
"Then we're out of time."
Kael's stomach tightened.
"What does that mean?"
The stranger walked toward the window.
Outside, rain poured from dark clouds.
"The remaining Cores are hidden."
A pause.
"They've stayed hidden for a reason."
Kael already knew the answer.
"The Devourers."
The stranger nodded.
"And worse."
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Then an alarm suddenly echoed through the facility.
Everyone froze.
Not again.
The stranger immediately touched the communicator on his wrist.
"Report."
Static answered.
Then a voice.
Panicked.
"Sir..."
The transmission crackled.
"We've detected a signal."
Kael stood.
His heartbeat quickened.
"A signal from what?"
The voice replied.
"Another Core."
The room went silent.
Kael and the stranger exchanged looks.
Another Core.
Alive.
The stranger immediately turned toward the door.
"Get ready."
Kael followed.
"Ready for what?"
The stranger's expression hardened.
"The first expedition."
Far beyond Earth—
Something had just answered.
And for the first time—
They weren't going to wait for the enemy to arrive.
They were going hunting.