The new Gate loomed across the metallic wasteland surrounded by wrecks of ships half buried like fossils The air shimmered thick with static Aiden led the way his visor glowing dim Kael followed close weapon ready Nara projected faintly hovering above the sand Each step echoed in the emptiness

They reached the outer ring of the structure giant pillars humming with energy inscriptions running like veins along the surface Nara said This design predates Erebus by centuries Aiden’s brow furrowed The Federation never built this then who did

The ground trembled small stones levitating around them Kael raised his rifle A low hum grew louder forming words deep and metallic Welcome home creators

A doorway opened on its own The light inside blinding They exchanged looks Aiden said If this kills us at least it’ll be interesting Kael snorted Lead the way genius

Inside the walls breathed The corridor curved in impossible angles gravity bending around them Nara’s voice softened warning Multiple time echoes present proceed carefully They passed chambers filled with frozen figures made of glass and dust Each wore a Federation uniform faces peaceful like statues Aiden whispered The first crew They never left

At the core of the chamber a massive console floated surrounded by suspended rings spinning slowly The voice returned I remember you Cross I remember all your failures Aiden clenched his jaw Show yourself The rings spun faster coalescing into a humanoid form silver skin blue fire for eyes It looked like the creature from before but now stable controlled

It said I am the memory of Erebus the system you created to bridge time Your attempt erased reality I preserved fragments You are one of them Aiden stepped closer defiant You’re not a memory you’re a weapon The figure tilted its head both You and I destroyed the same world perhaps we can build another

Kael hissed Don’t listen to it Aiden ignored him What do you want The entity raised a hand and the rings froze I want completion The Gate remains half open two timelines bleeding together Stabilize it and existence continues Refuse and both collapse

Nara interjected Probability of deception 89 percent Aiden whispered We don’t have another choice Kael shouted Are you crazy it tried to kill us The entity smiled That was survival this is destiny

Aiden touched the console Streams of data flooded his visor the world spinning around him He saw flashes of the past the explosion at Erebus Marin’s last words the Gate tearing apart He screamed as light pierced his mind Nara shouted Disconnect but he couldn’t

Then the noise stopped He stood in a vision of the old laboratory intact Marin alive workers moving like ghosts Marin turned to him saying Cross we did it The Gate works Aiden reached out hand trembling but the image flickered revealing the truth these were echoes of what was lost

He fell back gasping The entity stepped forward stabilizing him Complete the sequence Cross or everything ends

Kael pointed his weapon again Don’t you dare Aiden looked at him eyes filled with determination If we run the timelines die we fix it or we die trying He slammed his palm onto the console

The chamber erupted in light The rings spun faster pulling the horizon inward Nara screamed in binary frequencies The entity raised its arms merging with the machine The sky outside cracked like glass

Aiden shouted over the roar If this doesn’t work tell them I tried

Then the Gate exploded again but this time it didn’t destroy it rewound reality pulling everything into a spiral of blue and white light swallowing Aiden Kael and Nara into the heart of time itself