By midday, the skyline changed.
Gone were the burned-out husks of civilization. Before them stretched a glittering bastion of survival — a city that had refused to fall when the world shattered: Solaris Reach.
Towers of gold and silver stretched into the clouds, gleaming with stubborn defiance against the chaos beyond. Shield walls shimmered faintly around the outer sectors, woven with psychic wards and old-world technology.
Solaris wasn't just surviving — it was thriving.
At a cost.
And Evan knew better than anyone that paradise always hid its price.
---
At the main gates, scanners swept over them as they approached. Automated turrets flickered to life, tracking them. Guardians in reinforced exo-armor stood at the ready.
But when they saw Aidan — recognized him — the mood shifted.
Aidan stepped forward, lifting his hands peacefully.
> "Aidan Solaris," he said clearly. "Requesting sanctuary."
Murmurs rose among the guards.
A moment later, a woman emerged from the command post, her cloak fluttering in the wind. She was sharp-eyed, regal, and unmistakably powerful.
> "Aidan," she said, her voice both surprised and relieved. "You're alive."
> "Hello, Sera," Aidan said, smiling tiredly.
Sera Solaris — head of the Reach's ruling council. And Aidan's older sister.
---
Sera's eyes flickered to Evan, reading him like an open wound.
Her smile faded slightly.
> "And who is your... companion?"
> "A friend," Aidan said, no hesitation. "He's with me."
Sera studied Evan for a long, tense moment.
Evan stood perfectly still, letting his telekinesis subtly dampen his presence — projecting calm, non-threat, stability.
A small trick. A survival instinct.
Finally, Sera nodded curtly.
> "Then he's welcome. For now."
The gates parted.
And the two of them stepped into Solaris Reach — into the last refuge of a broken world.
---
Inside the walls, it was almost alien.
Clean streets. Children laughing. Gardens blooming in terraces along gleaming buildings. Energy hums filled the air — a rhythm of life Evan hadn't heard in years.
Aidan visibly relaxed.
Evan... did not.
He could feel the tension just beneath the surface. The unspoken suspicion. The fear.
Solaris Reach was beautiful.
But it was also a fortress.
And Evan knew fortresses were built for wars yet to come.
---
Sera led them to a quieter sector — a guest district meant for refugees and dignitaries.
There, Aidan was given a modest but comfortable apartment overlooking a sunlit park.
Evan lingered by the balcony, his mind scanning the city's psychic currents.
Tight. Controlled. Disciplined.
Solaris Reach was ready for anything — even him.
---
> "Thank you, Sera," Aidan said.
> "Get some rest," Sera replied, squeezing his shoulder. "You'll need it. Things are moving faster than you know."
She shot Evan one last wary glance before departing.
When the door clicked shut behind her, Aidan turned to Evan.
> "We made it," he said, grinning.
Evan said nothing.
Instead, he stared out over the city — the sun setting behind golden towers, shadows stretching long and deep.
> "Yeah," Evan muttered. "We made it."
But in his heart, he wondered:
For how long?
---
Far beyond Solaris Reach, in the smoldering ruins where the Academy once stood, Gravemind smiled through borrowed mouths.
The game was far from over.
It was only just beginning.