Aria can't breathe.
The Observer's gaze is crushing.
The voice echoes again.
"Anomaly origin located."
Kael steps in front of her.
"Leave her alone."
The Observer pauses.
Studying him.
"Temporal survivor."
Future Kael whispers.
"It remembers you."
Aria grabs Kael's sleeve.
"What is it saying?"
Lena answers slowly.
"It thinks you were created by the fracture."
Aria shakes her head.
"That's impossible."
The Observer continues.
"Correction process initiated."
The creature suddenly moves.
Blocking its view.
"You overstep."
The Observer's eye shifts.
Studying the creature.
"System relic detected."
The creature's voice deepens.
"This timeline will stabilize without erasure."
The Observer pauses.
Long.
Then—
The eye turns toward Lena.
"First fracture."
Lena meets its gaze calmly.
"Yes."
The Observer whispers.
"You returned."
Aria looks between them.
"…you two know each other?"
Jonas mutters.
"Great."
"Even the cosmic eyeball has history now."
The Observer suddenly shifts again.
Looking back at Aria.
"Decision postponed."
Everyone freezes.
Future Kael whispers.
"…why?"
The Observer answers.
"Further variables detected."
The room trembles violently.
Jonas stares at the widening fracture.
"…uh."
"More variables just arrived."
Something begins climbing out of the crack.
Not shadows.
Not memories.
People.
Dozens.
From different timelines.
And they all look ready for war.