The moment Kian released the Core, everything shattered.Golden light burst from the center of the chamber, blinding, all-consuming, unstoppable. It spread in waves, rippling outward like an explosion frozen in time, warping the very air itself. The energy pulsed like a heartbeat, sending shockwaves that made the walls groan under the immense pressure.For a second, there was a chilling stillness—a brief moment where time seemed to hold its breath.Then, reality fractured.A deafening crack split through the chamber as the energy pulse slammed into everything. The Federation’s Sentinels jerked violently, their armored limbs locking in place as their red optic sensors flickered uncontrollably. Sparks erupted from their joints as if they were fighting against an unseen force.The Forgotten Ones screamed.Their ghostly forms twisted and contorted, flickering between solid and transparent as if the unleashed power was tearing them apart from the inside. Their shrieks were unearthly—a mix

Darkness.A suffocating, endless abyss stretched in every direction, swallowing sound, sensation—everything.Kian floated within it, weightless, adrift in nothingness.He tried to move. His arms, his legs—nothing responded. It was as if he had been stripped from his body, reduced to a mere consciousness trapped between reality and something else.And then.....A single glowing thread appeared before him, stretching into the void. It pulsed faintly, golden light threading through the darkness like a path.Without thinking, Kian reached for it.The moment his fingers brushed against the thread, a shockwave tore through his mind.Memories—not his own—flooded in.Visions of a world long before the Federation.A world ruled by something greater.A time when the Forgotten Ones were not enemies, but protectors.He stood at the edge of a battlefield—but it wasn’t like any battle he had seen before.Towering figures of pure energy clashed against massive Sentinels, their weapons carving throug

The ground trembled beneath them. Kian barely had time to process the woman’s words before the deep, mechanical groan of shifting metal echoed through the chamber. The air vibrated with a force that wasn’t just movement—it was power awakening from centuries of slumber.His gaze snapped to the holographic map. The ship wasn’t just underground. It was buried beneath layers of security and ancient technology, hidden away as if it was never meant to be found.Yet, here they were.Kian swallowed hard. "You said this was the last stronghold of the Old War." His voice was steady, but there was a weight to it, a feeling that he wasn’t sure he was ready to confront. "What does that mean? And why do I feel like I’ve been here before?"The woman didn’t answer immediately. Her fingers worked rapidly over the console, pulling up long-dormant systems, activating controls that had been untouched for decades—maybe even centuries. The blue lights of the interface flickered erratically, struggling to s

The silence inside the warship was deafening.Kian stood at the center of the command deck, staring at the massive holo-display before him. The tactical interface pulsed with golden light, mapping out the Federation's response in real-time. Their forces were converging—fast.Behind him, Elena, Selene, and Marcus stood in tense silence. Even Marcus, always smug and full of sarcastic remarks, seemed uncharacteristically serious."The Federation isn't hesitating," Selene murmured, scrolling through the data. "They're sending multiple strike teams—Elite Hunters, war drones, and something labeled 'Protocol Zero.'"Kian frowned. "Protocol Zero?"Elena stiffened. "I’ve heard of it before. It’s a last-resort measure. If the Federation can’t capture their target… they erase it. No survivors."Selene exhaled sharply. "So they’re not just coming for you, Kian. They’re coming to destroy everything."A cold determination settled in Kian's chest."Then we make sure they fail."He turned to the holo

A heavy silence filled the warship’s command center.Kian’s golden eyes burned as he stared at the massive fleet that had emerged from the rift. Unknown. Unfamiliar. But undeniably powerful.His hands remained steady on the console, but inside, his mind was racing.Who were they?How did they know his name?And more importantly—why did they say he carried something that didn’t belong to him?The Federation had been nothing more than a corrupt power grasping at control, but this… this was different.Elena exhaled sharply beside him. "Kian… This isn’t just some rogue faction. Their technology—it’s beyond anything I’ve ever seen."Selene cursed under her breath as she studied the readings. "They're disrupting our systems. I can’t get an exact count, but there are dozens—no, hundreds of ships."The warship’s AI flickered again, struggling to process the overwhelming data."Warning: External force attempting to override primary controls. Defensive measures activated."Kian’s jaw tightened.