The stars fell behind them as the ship cut through the emptiness, blue thrusters trailing across the void. For the first time in weeks, Earth appeared on their screens — a swirl of white and blue, serene, unaware that a new war had begun light-years away.
But as they drew closer, something felt wrong.
"Atmospheric interference," Mara muttered, scanning the readings. "There's ion distortion across the equator — like the planet's magnetosphere's being pulled."
Liora frowned. "By what?"
Eris didn't answer. The shard beneath his chest began to hum again, faint but insistent. He looked out the window, and for a moment — just for an instant — the curve of Earth shimmered, almost as if something beneath its oceans was glowing.
Kael's voice came through the static. "Control tower's not responding."
"Keep the line open," Mara ordered. "We're landing whether they like it or not."
---
—Helios Command, Earth Orbit—
Dr. Helena Voss stood before the main viewport as the alarms pulsed red.
"Confirm it again," she said, voice steady. "That object heading toward us — that's their ship?"
The technician nodded. "Identification codes match the Mars crew. But ma'am… they're emitting the same frequency as the Gate."
Helena exhaled slowly. "They brought it back."
Commander Idris folded his arms. "Do we let them dock?"
"Of course," Helena replied. "We need answers — and they're the only ones who can give them."
She stared out into space, the reflection of the blue planet flickering in her glasses. "Prepare containment protocols. If the shard's active, I want a quantum barrier between them and the rest of the station."
---
—Landing—
The crew's ship broke atmosphere like a falling star. Flames trailed along the hull as they descended toward the waiting lights of Helios Station.
Liora tightened her grip on her seat. "Feels different, doesn't it?"
Mara nodded. "The planet's heartbeat changed."
They touched down. Magnetic clamps locked. The hiss of pressure equalization filled the cabin.
Eris was the first to stand. The shard's pulse had synced perfectly with Earth's rhythm. He could feel it — a deep vibration beneath everything, like the planet itself was whispering.
When the airlock opened, they were met with silence. A line of armed guards stood waiting, weapons raised but eyes uncertain. Helena Voss stepped forward.
"Welcome home," she said, voice calm but cold. "You've been busy."
Eris met her gaze. "You saw the Gate."
"I saw what you woke," she replied. "You've linked Earth to something we don't understand."
He hesitated. "Then help me understand it."
Helena's expression softened slightly. "You'll tell me everything — about the Sentinel, the Shard, and what you saw inside that storm."
Eris nodded. "And you'll tell me why the ocean glows like Mars."
---
—Observation Deck—
Hours later, Earth's night side rolled below them, and from orbit, the truth was visible —
a faint line of light stretched beneath the Indian Ocean, pulsing rhythmically like the heartbeat of a sleeping god.
Kael stared at it in awe. "That's not natural."
Helena stood beside him. "It's the second Gate. Smaller, deeper. We picked it up the moment yours activated."
Liora whispered, "So they're connected."
"Yes," Helena said, her voice distant. "Like twins across the void. What happens to one… echoes in the other."
Eris leaned against the glass, his reflection ghostly beside the blue planet. "Then Mars isn't the only world bound by the Sovereign's blood. Earth has a shard too."
Helena turned to him. "And if that shard wakes, what then?"
He looked down at the pulsing light below. "Then the war comes here."
---
—The Void Between—
Far beyond the orbit of Mars, the Herald of the Void drifted silently.
Its red eye fixed on the distant glow of Earth.
It began to hum — low, ancient, reverberating through the emptiness.
> "The Heir returns to the cradle. The second seal beats. The King shall rise soon."
Behind it, the dark mist swirled, forming the faint image of a throne made of stars — and a shadow seated upon it, motionless, watching.
The One Being had begun to stir.