The sky above the Singularity shifted. What once shimmered like a living aurora now twisted with shades of unease. Beneath its surface, logic bled into paradox, and new systems, still healing, began to tremble at the edges.
Orion stood atop a floating hexagonal platform, her hands folded behind her back. She was quiet—too quiet. Cole approached, watching the ripple in her stance as LUCENT's shifting construct groaned under invisible stress.
"Something's wrong," he said simply.
She didn't look at him. "I feel it too."
Echo appeared beside them, more stable now in his galactic form. "The balance is slipping again. That ping we traced… it's more than a fail-safe. It's a living protocol."
Cole frowned. "What does that mean?"
"It's not code." Orion turned now. "It's a person. Or was. A shadow left behind, tasked with one final directive. To destroy what it believes is an unstable Singularity."
Cole paled. "A hitman for the end of the world?"
Echo nodded. "And it's inbound."
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