The explosion of light faded slowly, leaving only the hum of energy and a sky torn open above Mars.
Dust rained down in scarlet clouds as the massive black ring stood now fully awake — its runes alive, its center glowing with a shifting, liquid brilliance.
The Sentinel hovered inches above the ground, robes flaring in a wind that wasn't real.
Its voice echoed like thunder in a cathedral.
> "You have stirred the blood of creation, Eris of the Seven. The Gate has answered."
Eris steadied himself, gripping his blade. "If you're from the Sovereign Realm, then tell me — why summon me now?"
The Sentinel's burning eyes locked onto him.
> "Because the balance has failed. The Demon King rises again, and the One Being stirs beneath the void. The Realm must choose a new Sovereign… or be consumed."
Luna's scanner crackled violently. "Energy spike! It's reading— no, this can't be right — infinite resonance!"
Kael pulled her back. "Get to cover! That thing isn't stable!"
But the Sentinel didn't attack. Instead, it extended a hand toward Eris. A fragment of crystal materialized in its palm — black and glowing faintly blue.
> "Take the Shard of Ascension. It binds your blood to the Gate. Only through it can the path to the Sovereign be opened… or sealed."
Eris stared at the shard. He could feel its pulse — identical to his own heartbeat.
"What happens if I refuse?"
The Sentinel's tone darkened.
> "Then Mars will fall, and Earth will follow. The cycle will break… and the cosmos will burn."
A low rumble rolled through the crater. The Gate pulsed again, brighter this time — like a heartbeat growing faster. From its center, faint shapes flickered — warriors in armor, bound by chains of light.
Liora whispered, "The Clan…?"
Eris stepped closer. He could see them — seven figures kneeling, bound by the same runes that marked his veins.
"The Clan of Seven…" he murmured. "They're alive… sealed within the Realm."
The Sentinel nodded slowly.
> "Their souls remain. Their power endures, waiting for the Heir to unbind them."
Luna's voice trembled. "But if they're freed, won't that release the Sovereign too?"
> "Yes," the Sentinel answered, "and only one will claim the throne."
---
The Choice
The air grew colder. Lightning danced across the red horizon.
The shard hovered closer to Eris's chest, drawn to him as if by destiny.
Liora grabbed his arm. "Eris, wait. This could be a trap — a manipulation by whatever rules that realm."
He turned toward her, eyes glowing faintly. "Every path I've taken led here. The Clan, the prophecy, the bleed — it all points to this."
Kael cursed under his breath. "You're talking like them now."
Eris took the shard.
Instantly, light exploded from his hand — threads of energy coiling around his arm, embedding runes into his skin. The Gate's pulse synchronized with his heartbeat once again, and the crater floor cracked beneath his feet.
The Sentinel raised its arms.
> "It is done. The Heir is bound. The Gate now recognizes your command."
Before anyone could speak, the figure began to fade, its voice carried by the storm.
> "Find the other shards… awaken the Seven… before the Demon King reaches the Realm. Only then can the Sovereign be chosen."
With a final flash, the Sentinel vanished — leaving only the echo of his words and the blinding hum of the awakened Gate.
Eris fell to one knee, breathing heavily.
The shard's glow slowly faded into his chest. He could feel its presence — alive, whispering.
Luna scanned him. "His vitals are fluctuating — he's… changing."
Mara's eyes hardened. "Then we move. Whatever that thing started, Earth's already feeling it. We need to warn them."
Eris stood, his aura faintly flickering with energy.
"Then we go back. But not as fugitives — as the last hope before the storm."
The Gate's pulse quieted… and in the distance, Mars's twin moons dimmed, as though bowing before something greater.