He woke under a gray sky split with cracks of light The ground beneath him wasn’t metal anymore but sand black as ash The air smelled of rain and iron Kael sat nearby smoking a piece of wire like a cigar saying Welcome to another fine mess genius

Aiden sat up rubbing his temples The landscape stretched endless dunes and scattered wreckage The remnants of cities jutted like bones out of the sand towers broken and half buried The two suns were gone replaced by one pale sphere flickering faintly as if half alive Nara’s voice returned weak but clear I have partial connection The Gate event merged both timelines result uncertain

He stood scanning the horizon Far away he saw movement ships flying low their engines whining loud He zoomed in The markings were Federation not old but restored He whispered We did it We merged the collapse but someone else rebuilt from the ruins

Kael frowned You mean the Federations are back That doesn’t sound like a win Aiden said We won’t know until we see it They gathered what gear they had left and started walking toward the nearest ridge

Hours passed under the fractured sky Every few miles they passed relics half real half shimmering like ghosts of the old world The closer they got to the city the more stable it became towers straight roads rebuilt but with unfamiliar symbols glowing across surfaces

At the gate stood soldiers in armor powered exosuits painted white and gold Aiden raised his hands saying Don’t shoot We’re travelers The soldiers scanned them then lowered weapons One spoke with mechanical calm Identify yourselves Kael muttered I’m the idiot who followed this guy through time The soldier ignored him and focused on Aiden Name

He hesitated then said Aiden Cross The soldier paused processing then stiffened Commander Cross You are expected

Aiden froze Nara whispered This is impossible timeline recognition loop detected Kael blinked Expected by who The soldier replied By the Directorate He motioned them forward

They were escorted through massive streets filled with machines and drones Everything felt perfect too perfect The architecture resembled Erebus but clean without chaos It was the world they tried to build only it existed now under someone else’s rule

At the central tower they entered a hall lined with mirrors Each reflection showed a different version of Aiden some younger some older some broken He tried not to look but couldn’t stop The soldier led them into a chamber with a single chair and a figure sitting within the shadows

When the figure spoke Aiden felt his heart stop It was his own voice older colder I told you we’d restore it The light revealed him an older Aiden dressed in black uniform with Federation insignia blazing silver He smiled without warmth You saved time Cross but I used it

Kael muttered Oh great now there are two of you The older Aiden stood walking closer I became the architect when the Gate reset I built this new Federation without war without chaos But it needs one thing the key that you carry Nara whispered He wants your core data He wants me

The older Aiden said Give her to me willingly and you can rest otherwise you’ll destroy this peace Aiden stared at him feeling anger rise You turned the dream into control You rebuilt the chains we tried to break The older smiled Maybe but at least it works

The walls pulsed as alarms rang Soldiers appeared outside the chamber Kael raised his gun Nara flickered brighter Aiden whispered Then we fight for the right version He grabbed Nara’s interface pulling data cables from his arm The older shouted Stop you’ll collapse everything Aiden smiled That’s the point

He triggered the override The world around them shattered mirrors exploding light pouring through cracks The city screamed as reality buckled again

When the dust cleared Aiden and Kael were gone only echoes left behind drifting in the broken sky