The silence after the warship’s cannon fire was brief—too brief.Kian’s golden gaze burned as he watched the energy beams surge forward, tearing through the darkness of space like divine judgment. The enemy fleet, vast and seemingly unshakable, faced its first true test.The initial impact was devastating.Boom.One of the enemy warships exploded under the sheer force of the blast, its structure folding in on itself before vanishing into nothingness. The golden Sentinels, still caught between two conflicting commands, hesitated.For a moment, Kian thought he had gained the upper hand.Then came the counterattack.The enemy fleet didn’t scatter.They didn’t retreat.They didn’t even flinch.Instead, they moved as one, their ships shifting into an eerily perfect formation. Not a single wasted movement. Not a single moment of hesitation.A warning siren blared inside the warship."Multiple energy signatures detected. Incoming attack imminent."Selene’s fingers flew across the controls. "

The warship’s command room was a battlefield of flashing red alarms and frantic voices. The holographic screen pulsed with urgent warnings as the unknown fleet hovered in the void, their formation unwavering.Kian stood frozen.His eyes locked onto the second throne displayed on the screen.It was different from the cracked, corrupted one he had seen in the vision. This one was pristine—untouched by time or decay. A throne meant for a ruler. A throne meant for—Him.He clenched his fists, forcing himself to break away from the sight. “Selene, analyze those ships. What are we dealing with?”Selene’s fingers moved swiftly over the controls, her face pale. “I—I don’t know what they are. They don’t match any known Federation, rebel, or alien fleet.”Kian’s voice was sharp. “Then what do they match?”Silence.Selene swallowed, then whispered, “They match you.”The words sent a cold pulse through the room.Kian’s stomach twisted. “Explain.”Selene turned the screen toward him. “The energy s

The battlefield was eerily silent.The massive golden rift in space had swallowed the Federation’s fleet, pulling their powerful dreadnoughts into the unknown. The golden warships drifted across the void, their once-glowing sigils dimming as their energy subsided.Kian stood on the bridge of his flagship, his gaze locked on the emptiness where Voss’s fleet had once been. The rift was closing, sealing away the destruction it had unleashed.Selene’s fingers flew across the controls. “The gravitational readings are stabilizing… but Kian, this wasn’t just an attack.” She looked up, her expression tense. “That was a dimensional rupture. Whatever that energy was, it didn’t just destroy Voss’s fleet—it pulled them somewhere else.”Elena’s voice was quiet, but sharp. “Somewhere we can’t reach.”Kian exhaled slowly. He had changed the rules of war—but at what cost?The masked figure, still standing at the edge of the bridge, smiled beneath his hood. “It seems you have claimed your first true v

The silence after the explosion was almost deafening. The lingering smoke curled through the air, a ghostly remnant of the destruction that had just unfolded. Kian pushed himself up from the rubble, coughing against the dust that coated his lungs. His body ached from the impact, but pain was a familiar companion now.“Elena!” His voice was hoarse, but he forced himself to move, scanning the debris for any sign of her.A groan came from behind a collapsed beam. Kian rushed over, ignoring the sharp protest of his ribs. He found her pinned under a slab of metal, her breathing shallow but steady. Relief coursed through him even as dread crept in.“Hold on,” he muttered, gripping the beam with both hands. His implant flared to life, sending a surge of energy through his limbs. With a deep breath, he heaved the metal aside, freeing her.Elena gasped as the pressure on her chest lifted, her eyes fluttering open. “Kian…”“I’m here.” He helped her sit up, quickly assessing the damage. Bruises,

The air in the bunker felt thick—charged with something unnatural. The Forgotten Ones stood still, their glowing silver eyes locked on Kian, waiting.Waiting for his answer.Elena’s grip tightened on his arm. “Kian, what the hell is going on?”He didn’t answer. Couldn’t answer.The vision still burned in his mind. The shadows. The voice. The truth he wasn’t ready to face."You know what must be done."His heart pounded. What did that even mean?The others were waiting too. Marcus had his gun raised, his face set in a deep scowl. Selene looked ready to bolt. Darius was unreadable—watching Kian with narrowed eyes, as if trying to see inside his head.Then, the Forgotten One at the front moved.It took a single step forward, its body flickering like a glitch in reality.Kian didn’t flinch.But the others did.“Back up,” Marcus warned, shifting his weapon.Darius lifted a hand. “No. Let’s see what it wants.”Marcus shot him an incredulous look. “What it wants? Are you insane? That thing j