The chamber shakes violently.
The Observer's eye tears through the fracture.
Massive.
Terrifying.
Floating above the origin engine.
Reality bends around it.
The air distorts.
Jonas falls backward.
"Okay."
"That is WAY bigger up close."
Seraphine studies it calmly.
"Containment field holding."
Elias shakes his head in disbelief.
"This machine was never designed for this."
Future Kael grips his blade.
"Well."
"It's happening anyway."
Commander Veyron raises his weapon.
"Fire!"
The Keeper soldiers shoot.
Energy blasts strike the creature.
They vanish.
Absorbed.
The Observer speaks slowly.
"You have dragged eternity into a cage."
Aria trembles.
Still holding the machine open.
"We need it inside the loop."
The creature laughs.
A sound like collapsing stars.
"You believe you can imprison infinity?"
Kael steps forward.
"No."
He looks up at it.
"We just need you trapped long enough."
Seraphine glances at him.
"…long enough for what?"
Aria whispers.
"…for the reset to break."
The clocks suddenly spin faster.
Much faster.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
The Observer notices.
"You are altering the cycle."
Aria looks up.
"Yes."
And for the first time—
The creature seems afraid.