The silence was so heavy it felt like the chamber itself held its breath. Broken guardians lay scattered across the floor, their lifeless cores glowing faintly like dying embers.
Eris's hand still rested on the crystal. A warmth spread up his arm, then across his chest. For a moment, he thought it was just his own power resonating.
Then a voice echoed—not in the air, but in his mind.
"Descendant… you have awakened me."
Eris staggered back, clutching his head. The others tensed instantly.
"What is it?" Mara demanded, raising her blade again. "More tricks?"
Eris shook his head, eyes wide. "No… it's not the guardians. It's the ship."
The crystal pulsed, and this time the voice filled the chamber itself. It was vast, layered, neither male nor female, but carrying the weight of centuries.
"I am the Ark of Mars. Guardian of the Heart. Keeper of the Final Flame."
Jonas let out a low whistle. "Oh great, the ship talks. Of course it does."
Selene dropped to one knee, her staff lowered. Her voice was reverent. "An Ark… I thought they were only legend."
The vessel rumbled as if in response.
"Legends are but echoes of truth. I was built to carry the last seed of power beyond the ruin of worlds. Yet for ages I slumbered, waiting… waiting for him."
The crystal pulsed brighter, and all eyes turned to Eris.
Mara frowned. "Always him, huh? The kid barely survived ten minutes ago, and now he's the chosen one again."
Eris swallowed hard. "I didn't… ask for this."
"You are not asked. You are chosen," the Ark replied, its tone unyielding. "The Heart within you is the final shard of creation. Alone, it will consume you. But with me—together—we may yet endure what comes."
The words hung heavy, thicker than the air itself.
Jonas leaned against the wall, sweat dripping down his brow. "I don't like the sound of 'consume you.'"
Liora, still weak from awakening the vessel, raised her head. "It's telling the truth. I felt it. This ship isn't just a machine. It's alive… bound to the same power Eris carries."
Selene's gaze was sharp, her voice calm but urgent. "If that's true, then this Ark isn't just an escape. It's a weapon."
The Ark's hum deepened.
"I am more than weapon. I am memory. I am the last refuge of a people who defied gods. But I am dying. Without union, both I and the Heart will wither. You must choose, Descendant. Claim me, or leave me to rust among bones."
The chamber dimmed as if the ship itself awaited his answer.
Eris stared at the crystal, his chest tightening. His mind swirled with images—fire, shadows, the crushing weight of destiny. He was just a boy sent on a mission to Mars. Yet now the fate of something ancient, maybe even the universe itself, pressed against his soul.
Mara broke the silence first. "Careful, Eris. Things that offer too much always take more in return."
Liora touched his arm gently. "But without it, the Heart will eat you alive. I've seen the cracks already."
Selene stood tall, her staff glowing faintly. "The choice is his. No one else can make it."
The crystal pulsed once more, like a heartbeat.
Eris exhaled slowly, his fingers trembling as he reached back toward the glowing surface. "Then… I'll choose."