The days following the formation of the group were a whirlwind. Alex barely had time to process the enormity of what they were facing before they were thrown into their first challenge. Tobias’s network had uncovered reports of strange phenomena in a small, isolated town several hours from the city—people disappearing without a trace, only to reappear days later, confused and speaking of shadowy figures pulling at their minds.“It’s happening again,” Alex muttered as the group gathered in Tobias’s dimly lit back room. A map lay on the table, with red pins marking the areas of reported activity.“Whatever it is, it’s spreading,” said Mia, the woman with sharp eyes who had quickly taken on the role of Alex’s second-in-command. “We need to move fast.”Alex nodded. “This isn’t just random. The threads are shifting again. If we don’t stop it now, it’ll spiral out of control.”Their destination was a town called Ashwood, nestled deep in the forest. The ride there was tense. The group of six

The city seemed different as Alex and his team made their way to Luminary’s old headquarters. The once-familiar streets now felt alien, shadowed by an unnatural quiet. The threads hummed faintly in the background, a reminder of what they were fighting to protect—and what they stood to lose.The skyscraper loomed before them, its facade cracked and darkened by time. A faint, otherworldly light pulsed from its upper floors, emanating the same energy Alex had felt in the factory.“This is it,” Mia said, tightening her grip on her blade. “The Weaver’s stronghold.”“Any idea what we’re walking into?” Liam asked, his voice tinged with apprehension.“Only that it’s going to be worse than anything we’ve faced before,” Alex replied.They entered the building cautiously, their steps echoing in the cavernous lobby. The air was heavy with tension, the threads vibrating erratically as if warning them of the danger ahead.“We need to get to the top floor,” Alex said, glancing at the schematic Evely

As the sun rose, coloring the city with shades of gold and crimson, the team came together on the rooftop of their new headquarters. It was one of those quiet moments-a time for looking back before plunging into the unknown of tomorrow.Alex leaned on the railing, his gaze fixed on the horizon. His body felt foreign, the hum of the threads no longer coursing through him. For the first time since his transformation, he was entirely human—a fact that both thrilled and unsettled him.“You look like you’re carrying the weight of the world,” Mia said, stepping beside him.“Feels strange,” Alex admitted. “I was part of something infinite, and now… I’m just me again.”Mia placed a hand on his arm. “You’re not just anything, Alex. You’re here. That’s enough.”He nodded but didn’t reply, the unspoken burden of his choices hanging between them. Downstairs, Liam and Callum pored over readings from the Manipulator. Although the machine appeared dormant, subtle fluctuations in the threads suggest