The room was still.
The soldiers' hands rested on their triggers. The aim was perfect. The distance was short.
There was no way out.
"Zaneath. Ryvok."
Rana closed his eyes — those two names — quietly — like a farewell. As though there was something that needed to be said — and there was no time — so only those two names. Those two people. Those two moments.
"Goodbye, Rana," one soldier said.
The trigger was about to be pressed —
Then —
From outside the room — from the corridor — a sound came.
Thud.
Just one. Clean. Precise.
The soldiers glanced at each other for a moment. One aimed toward Rana —
And then that soldier collapsed — unconscious — body hitting the floor. A single strike. No noise. No struggle.
The remaining soldier went on high alert.
"Someone is here! Call the team — now!" he said into his communication device.
A team of three to five soldiers entered the room.
Weapons raised. Positions tightened.
And then —
It entered.
Rana saw it for the first time — and for one moment — everything slowed down.
A figure. Tall. Lean. Strangely familiar — but why it felt familiar, he could not understand. Those same blue eyes — cold, ancient — the ones Rana had seen in his dreams. The ones that had been following, always, from behind.
But this time —
This time it was not a dream.
This — this is an illusion.
Rana's mind said it instantly. Because that figure — that face — there was something in it that felt like a mirror. Something that seemed to have emerged from inside Rana himself. Something that was not possible.
It is an illusion. I am under stress. My mind is not working.
But the figure moved — and the movement was real. There was weight on the floor. The air had shifted. It was real.
Completely real.
Soldier number one raised his weapon — fired.
The figure sidestepped — in a single moment — as though it knew exactly where the shot would come from. No rush. No panic. Only — calculated movement. As though all of this was boring to it.
Swaggy.
That was the only word. Nothing else fit.
Soldier number two attempted a tackle — directly — body to body contact. The figure extended one hand and gripped — in a single precise movement — and used the soldier's own momentum to push him into the wall. Clean. Efficient.
Soldier on the floor.
Rana stood there — hands still bound — watching the figure — eyes wide — trying to process what he was seeing.
Who is this.
How —
Those eyes —
I have seen these before.
His gaze moved to Xyolithian — and Xyolithian —
Xyolithian was not shocked.
He was watching the figure — with a specific expression. As though something was being confirmed. As though he had always known — and now it was standing before him.
"You know this one?" Rana asked quietly.
Xyolithian did not answer. He only watched.
The figure looked toward the door for a second. Then toward Rana. Then toward Xyolithian. Assessed something — rapidly.
Then — it stood in front of the doorway.
Arms loose. Posture relaxed. As though all of this — this entire situation — was routine.
Four soldiers came — armored — weapons ready.
What happened in the next three minutes — Rana had never seen anything like it in his life.
The figure simply ducked to avoid the first soldier's attack — went low — and on the way up used its elbow. Precise. One hit. Soldier down.
The second soldier came from a flanking position — the figure, without looking — literally without turning its head — swept its leg. Floor.
The third soldier fired his weapon — the figure jumped — bounced off the wall — from an impossible angle — and grabbed the weapon mid-air on landing. Disarmed.
Weapon on the floor.
The fourth soldier — the largest one — charged directly. The figure stood completely still — until he was almost upon it — and then in a single move used his own momentum against him and sent him to the other side of the room.
Hit the wall. Unconscious.
Total time — less than three minutes.
The figure looked around the room once — all down — then looked at its own hands — as though checking that everything was fine.
Casual.
Completely casual.
"This —" Rana had no words.
The figure came toward him. Did something — a precise movement — and Rana's bound hands came loose. Then Xyolithian's.
Xyolithian looked at the figure — for one second — and nodded slowly. Like an acknowledgment. Like a recognition from long ago.
"You know it," Rana said this time as a statement — not a question.
Xyolithian finally answered.
"Yes."
"Who is it?"
"Later," Xyolithian said directly. "We leave now."
The figure moved forward — into the corridor. Said nothing. Explained nothing. Only — walked.
Rana paused for one second.
This is not an illusion.
It is real.
And I feel something — something I cannot understand — like something familiar from inside — something that cannot be put into words.
But there was no time to think.
He followed.
On the surface of Zyphoros —
The smog was thick. Broken structures everywhere. Leader's base was behind them — growing more distant.
The figure walked — at a steady pace — not too fast, not too slow. As though it knew exactly where it was going.
Rana kept walking — kept watching the figure.
That face.
That posture.
That —
No. It is not possible.
After a long while —
A strange place on Zyphoros.
A part of a broken civilization — separate from everything else. Hidden. Unknown. As though the place had been intentionally concealed — as though someone had ensured that no one would reach here.
The figure stopped.
This place — was safe. Clearly. No signal. No tracker. So far from the base — that no one could find it.
Rana looked around. Broken walls. But intact enough. There was shelter.
Xyolithian also stopped — and this time he looked at the figure properly. For a long time. There was something in his eyes — something complicated — that was not surprise, but acknowledgment.
"You came," Xyolithian said quietly — to the figure. "I thought perhaps you would not."
The figure gave no reply. Only looked toward Rana.
Rana looked into the figure's eyes.
Blue.
Pure blue. Cold. Ancient.
Those eyes.
In the dream.
In every shadow.
Every time something was felt — something familiar —
These eyes.
This face.
Rana's mind went completely blank for one second.
"Who are you?"
Then the figure spoke — "Rana, do not think so much. When the time comes, everything will become clear."
Then — something came. Slowly. As though arriving from far away. But clearly.
This face.
These features.
I know these.
I — I have seen these — somewhere — inside — there is something that —
No.
"You —" Rana's voice did not come out the first time.
The figure stood there. Still. Eyes on Rana.
The figure said — "First we need to get that box back from the Raxorian Leader. And second — the weapon must be activated."
"Weapon activated?" Rana asked — alarmed.
"Yes. I warned you before, Rana, but you did not understand. This time the weapon must be activated," Xyolithian said, looking toward Rana.
"For that — Riya would have to — No. Whatever happens — I will not let that happen," Rana said, refusing Xyolithian.
"Rana, do not behave like a child. You know this is necessary — to save the universe," Xyolithian said, pressing the point.
"There is another option — the Raxorian Leader told me — there is an option in the files," Rana said, thinking of Riya.
"The same Raxorian Leader who betrayed you — you still believe what he said? Rana, he is a liar. Whatever he told you was only said to take the box," Xyolithian said, trying to reason with him.
"Enough. I do not want to talk about this right now. I need time," Rana said loudly.
Xyolithian wanted to say something but said nothing.
The figure, which had not been visible anywhere, emerged from a corner.
Xyolithian went to it.
"Thank you for bringing me back from the fifth dimension," Xyolithian said to the figure — from the heart.
"Whatever you have done for me — for me and for Rana — against that, this is nothing," the figure said quietly.
Xyolithian smiled.
"When will you tell Rana the truth?" Xyolithian asked the figure.
"When the time comes. Right now Rana will not be able to understand all of this. It is better if he does not know about me yet," the figure said in a calm voice.
Then Rana arrived — still thinking about the betrayal from the Raxorian Leader, Ryvok's sacrifice, and the mysterious figure.
"Who are you?" Rana asked inside his mind — seeing you reminds me of someone.
Then Rana asked the figure — "How did you know we were there — that we were in trouble?"
"I have been following you from the beginning. From the moment you picked up the box until now — I was with you every time," the figure said, telling Rana.
"You were following me — why — why did you keep following me? Why every time —" Rana paused — "— meaning every single time something was about to happen — you were there?"
Silence.
"Xyolithian —" Rana looked toward Xyolithian — "— you know. Tell me."
Xyolithian looked at the figure for a second. Then at Rana.
"Why did you not stop me from giving the box to the Raxorian Leader?"
"It was not the right time. What needed to be done — you needed to do it alone — whether right or wrong. And Rana — that box belongs only to you. Its decisions are yours — no one else's," the figure said, expressing the depth of the matter.
"But now it is in their hands," Rana said — his expression changing as he spoke.
"That is exactly why the weapon must be activated. A sacrifice must be given. Ryvok gave one. Zaneath gave one. And now it is Riya's turn," Xyolithian said.
"She is my sister — think before you speak, otherwise I will —" Rana said angrily, taking one step forward.
"Rana — Riya would have left the earth long ago if not for the weapon key. The weapon key saved Riya. Now it is Riya's turn to save the universe," Xyolithian said in a slow voice — and these words hit Rana.
Some time later, Rana came to Xyolithian and said — "Who is this — seeing it makes me feel something." Rana was confused.
"This — this is something you will have to discover by feeling it yourself," Xyolithian said — carefully chosen words. "I can tell you. But if I tell you — your reaction will be different. If you feel it yourself — then perhaps you will understand."
"Xyolithian," Rana's voice was firm.
Xyolithian drew a long breath.
And saying this — Xyolithian walked away from there.
Silence.
Complete. Absolute.
Rana looked at Xyolithian. Then at the figure. Then back at Xyolithian.
"What?" Rana asked himself.
Rana looked toward the figure.
Blue eyes.
The same eyes that had come in the dream.
"The time is coming."
Everything — was arriving in a horrible clarity.
The figure was speaking to Xyolithian — "Rana must not find out who I am — what my relation to him is." And after speaking — the figure's eyes grew more intense — blue glow stronger — and it moved to the side.
And then — for the first time — the figure said something.
Quietly. Only for Rana. Alone.
"Rana, I — I am..." and then it went quiet.
Rana stood to the side.
His mind was still there — Leader. Ryvok. Zaneath. Everything that had been revealed — everything that had shattered.
The figure was there. Still. Blue eyes — glowing slowly.
There was something. Something Rana could feel — from inside — that could not be put into words. That could not be explained. Familiar. Far too familiar. But why — he could not understand.
He looked toward the figure.
The figure said nothing.
Or — perhaps it had.
But Rana had not heard.
The air on Zyphoros was cold. There was silence. And in that silence — Rana stood there — with a question he had not yet asked.
Who are you.
But the answer — was not meant to come. Not yet.
And somewhere — very close — there were two words — that had not reached Rana's ears.
"I am..."
Only the wind had heard them.
For now.
Rana did not know who this silent, watchful presence was. He did not know where it had come from — or why it kept appearing. But one thing — one quiet, undeniable thing — he could feel.
Whoever it was — it was not against him.
It was for him.