The Gate hung in the nebula like an eye half open Its surface rippled faintly as if breathing Kael circled slowly engines low watching for traps The closer he came the stronger the pull of gravity became until his ship trembled in its grasp

Nara’s voice cautious The structure matches Erebus design at sixty-three percent probability It’s incomplete Kael said Doesn’t matter incomplete still dangerous

He docked near a broken segment hull creaking as magnetic locks engaged The airlock cycled hiss of cold vapor He stepped inside rifle slung low flashlight sweeping through corridors that seemed grown not built the walls curved like bone metallic veins glowing faintly under the surface

Nara projected beside him sensors active Local time distortion high Proceed quickly He moved deeper feeling the air hum against his skin like a live current The silence inside was thick broken only by the soft rhythm of his boots He muttered If you’re here Aiden this better be good

At the end of the corridor a door slid open on its own revealing a chamber vast and circular filled with suspended fragments of machinery each rotating slowly in zero gravity At the center floated a single console pulsing blue The moment he stepped closer it lit fully

A voice spoke not Aiden’s not human Welcome Operator The system awaits completion He froze Nara whispered That voice predates Erebus It’s older

He approached the console touching its edge Symbols crawled across the screen language ancient and strange yet familiar He asked What are you The voice replied I am the Continuum the origin of the Gates We watched your kind imitate our design We waited for correction

Kael swallowed Correction for what The voice said For breaking the sequence Time must close the wound or it consumes itself You have carried the fragment of the Architect He is within you now

Kael staggered What did you say The console projected light a spiral of data forming Aiden’s face not flesh but pattern alive and aware Kael whispered No no you’re gone Aiden smiled calm I said I would see you around didn’t I

Nara flickered beside them disbelief mixing with fear You’re inside the network how Kael touched the light It felt warm Aiden’s voice gentle When I merged with the Gate I didn’t die I scattered They built this second one and it gathered what remained The Continuum wants me to finish what we began

Kael said And that would be He answered To end the loop close the last tear between timelines but it requires both of us

Kael laughed bitterly You always need me for the suicidal parts don’t you Aiden smiled You’re the only one stubborn enough

Nara interrupted Energy readings rising The Gate is waking If activated it may seal reality permanently or erase it entirely Kael looked at Aiden You sure this is worth it Aiden nodded It’s the only way any of this means something

Kael exhaled long steady Alright one last time Tell me what to do

Aiden extended his hand composed of light Kael reached out their fingers met a burst of energy shaking the entire structure The chamber filled with roaring wind though there was no air The walls split open showing stars warping twisting as if the universe itself leaned closer

Aiden’s voice echoed through the storm This time we do it right Kael This time we finish it

He shouted over the noise Yeah you said that last time The light swallowed them both The Gate turned once and vanished into the nebula leaving only silence

Far away the newborn star flared brighter as if answering a question that could never be spoken aloud