The sun had just started to rise over Mount Halcon.
Mist rolled over the trees and rocks like a soft river.
Rin sat by the edge of the crater, drinking water and watching the burned mark left by the Herald's defeat. Eon stood not far away, eyes closed, sensing the balance of energy in the mountain.
The Rift Gate was now quiet.
But the sky… was not.
Suddenly, the clouds shifted.
And the mountain wind carried a strange signal.
[INCOMING SPARK: TWO ENTITIES][SYNC LEVEL: 92% COMPATIBLE]
Rin blinked.
The System was warning her—no, informing her.
"Someone's coming," she said aloud.
At the trailhead, Ayo and Selene stepped over stones and roots, slowly making their way up the mountain path.
Ayo looked around, his hand crackling slightly with electricity. "Feels like thunder is trapped in the air."
Selene nodded, brushing a vine aside. Her staff glowed faintly with star-like specks. "This mountain was touched by a Rift. You can feel the heat of it… and the echoes."
They moved in silence for a while, listening to birds and wind. Eventually, they reached the edge of the crater—where Rin and her team waited.
Mila was the first to notice them.
"Visitors," she said, calmly rising.
Kai stretched his arms. "About time. I wanted to meet more Awakened."
Theo stepped forward, his hand near his weapon. "Careful. We don't know them."
But Rin walked ahead.
She could feel it already.
The flames in Ayo and Selene.
They were like hers—powerful, raw, and still growing.
"Welcome," Rin said. "You're not from here."
Ayo smiled. "Kenya."
Selene lifted her staff. "Bolivia."
Rin looked at them both, then extended a hand.
"I'm Rin. These are my teammates. And that's Eon."
Ayo and Selene both turned toward Eon—and froze.
The Origin Flame stepped closer.
The air grew warmer.
Eon's voice was calm but deep. "I've been waiting for you."
---
Meanwhile, in space…
Far beyond Earth, past the moon and into the cold dark, a strange energy swirled.
There was no planet. No sun.
Only a rift in space, spinning like a black whirlpool.
Then—
A new Gate opened.
But this one did not pulse or crack.
It sang.
A soundless hum that echoed through reality itself.
From inside the gate came light.
But also, shadows.
And something stepped out.
Tall.
Armored in silver-blue steel.
Eyes glowing purple like a dying star.
Its voice was mechanical but sharp.
"Fourth Gate secured. Earth's defenses are growing. Time to increase pressure."
It raised its hand.
A symbol appeared in the stars.
And a transmission was sent across galaxies.
---
Deep inside the Conquerors' Domain…
The dark throne room flickered with energy.
Conqueror soldiers—creatures of bone, smoke, and metal—stood silently around a central platform.
In the middle, a cocoon of red crystal cracked open.
Inside was a new figure.
Female.
Her skin was midnight black, marked with red sigils.
Her hair floated like ink in water.
Her eyes opened.
They were white. Empty.
She stepped forward barefoot.
The air froze around her.
A Whisper servant bowed. "General N'Zora, born of decay and time, your awakening is complete."
N'Zora did not answer.
She waved a hand.
The Whisper's body melted into dust.
"Earth is resisting," she said quietly. "But resistance makes better prey."
She walked to a mirror of shadow that showed Earth from above.
Her finger traced the curve of the Philippines.
"Mount Halcon. So that's where the Origin Flame hides."
Her smile was cold.
"Let's burn him out."
---
Back at Mount Halcon…
Eon sat with Ayo and Selene in a circle.
Rin, Kai, Mila, and Theo listened nearby.
Eon spoke with a soft tone—but every word was heavy.
"There are more Gates. More than what you've seen. The Third opened here. The Fourth…" He paused. "It didn't open on Earth."
Ayo frowned. "Where, then?"
Eon looked to the sky.
"Somewhere… out there. Beyond."
Selene's eyes glowed slightly. "I felt it when it opened. Like a star dying, and another being born."
"The Conquerors are no longer just invading," Eon explained. "They're building. Spreading their systems. Sending generals."
Rin crossed her arms. "So more Heralds?"
Eon shook his head. "Worse."
He turned to Ayo.
"What did you see before you awakened?"
Ayo blinked. "A Whisper. It attacked me during a storm."
Selene added, "One visited my dreams. It whispered my name and tried to feed on my thoughts."
Eon nodded. "They're scouts. Sensors. But now… they'll send killers."
The group fell silent.
Then Mila stood.
"So, what's the plan?"
Eon looked at them all.
"You're all growing. The System is strengthening your Sparks."
He drew a glowing symbol in the air.
A map formed—showing the known Rift Zones on Earth.
Eon pointed to five spots:
Mount Halcon
The Sahara Wastes
The Andes Crack
The Great Rift Valley
And the Arctic Circle
"These are the next likely locations for Gates to appear. We'll need teams."
"You mean… split up?" Kai asked.
"Eventually," Eon said. "But not yet."
Rin stepped forward. "Then what comes first?"
Eon pointed to the stars again.
"We prepare… for when the Fourth Gate comes knocking."
---
That Night…
Selene sat under a tree, watching the stars.
Ayo sat beside her, lightning crackling softly in his fingertips.
They didn't talk for a while.
Then Selene whispered, "Do you ever wonder why it's us?"
Ayo nodded. "Every day."
Selene leaned back.
"I think the world is asking for help. And we're the answer."
Ayo smiled. "Then let's be the right one."
They both looked toward the crater—where Eon trained alone in silence.
And in the night sky, just barely visible…
A purple star began to glow.