The blue light that once filled the room now shifted gently, almost tame like a long breath after a prolonged storm.
No more wild tremors.
No more deafening alarms.
Everything felt… silent.
But not ordinary silence.
Rather, a stillness that made anyone hesitate to move.
Ethan stood right before the Helios core.
His body straight.
His gaze steady.
But something within him had changed.
Daniel was the first to dare approach again.
His steps careful.
As if one wrong move could destroy everything.
"Ethan…" his voice was soft, almost a whisper, "you're still with us, right?"
There was no immediate answer.
Seconds felt like hours.
Then Ethan shifted his gaze.
His eyes fell on Daniel.
That look… was not empty.
But not quite the same either.
"I'm here," he finally replied.
His tone was flat, without a hint of emotion.
Leonard Graves leaned his shoulder against the wall.
His hands were folded.
He watched with barely concealed interest.
