The air burned with static The world that had stood moments ago was gone replaced by a horizon made of reflections The sky was a mirror sea stretching in every direction with fragments of buildings and people flickering inside as if trapped between glass layers Aiden opened his eyes coughing sand that tasted like metal Kael was beside him again somehow always beside him The man groaned What did you do this time

Aiden sat up the world around him rippling with each breath He whispered I think we’re inside the reflection a timeline folded inward Kael squinted at the shimmering ground It moved under their feet like liquid glass He muttered You realize none of this makes sense Aiden said It’s not supposed to it’s what happens when two versions of reality fight over which one stays

Nara’s voice drifted from the static calm and faint I am here but fragmented the network is vast the reflections are alive Aiden frowned Alive what do you mean She hesitated These are memory constructs partial realities born from every decision you made each one still trying to exist

Shapes began forming in the distance human silhouettes walking out of the light As they came closer Aiden froze recognizing them old crew members from Erebus faces he had buried in his mind Marin leading them calm and unreadable He whispered You’re not real Marin answered Maybe not but neither are you now not entirely

Kael stepped back gun raised Oh this is not happening The figures surrounded them eyes glowing faint blue Marin said The Gate keeps us alive as echoes but it needs energy to remain You brought it The machine wants you back inside

Aiden shook his head No I came to end this Marin’s echo smiled You can’t end time Cross it ends you

The reflections pulsed like waves reality bending The ground split open revealing the Gate beneath transparent layers still spinning through nothingness Nara’s voice turned sharp Energy surge imminent you must stabilize it or this realm collapses Kael yelled How do we stabilize something that’s not real Aiden looked down at his trembling hands They were fading light bleeding through his fingers

He said I’m the anchor I started this I end it He knelt placing his palm against the ground The reflections rippled around him images flashing his life in broken sequence childhood the academy the first flight the Erebus explosion the collapse Each memory glowed brighter until they merged into white

Marin’s echo stepped forward reaching out Don’t let go Cross you’ll erase us Aiden whispered Then maybe we can finally rest

He closed his eyes Nara’s last words echoed Be certain Aiden He said quietly I am

The mirror world shattered into dust every reflection breaking into fragments of light The noise stopped replaced by silence deeper than space itself

When he opened his eyes again he was lying under a single starless sky alone