Aria falls to one knee.
Energy sparks from her fingertips.
The clocks shatter one by one.
Kael kneels beside her.
"Stay with me."
She grabs his arm tightly.
"I'm the anchor."
Elias whispers.
"The paradox core."
Aria nods weakly.
"If I lose control…"
She looks at the fracture in the sky.
"…everything merges."
Seraphine asks calmly.
"So what stabilizes you?"
Aria looks at Kael.
Quietly.
"…him."
The room goes still.
Jonas whispers.
"Oh."
Future Kael sighs.
"…of course."
Commander Veyron steps forward again.
"This proves my point."
He raises his weapon.
"She's the threat."
Kael stands.
Cold.
"You touch her and I break every bone in your body."
Veyron smirks.
"We'll see."
The tension becomes explosive.
Because now—
The universe depends on a girl
and the one person keeping her from falling apart.