Zero answered Korac’s call and stepped into his boots.

Literally.

From inside his mind, Korac watched the events unfold. Tameka’s epic entrance was only surpassed by her son and the force of Progeny he’d brought with them.

Not only the ancients.

Jack, Ross, and Bethany had come with Pax, and they were all gathered around Celindria’s restrained body. This was it. No more reinforcements.

Zero turned to face Lucas, his first son. “Will they succeed this time?”

One said, “I believe they will.”

Despite his own anxieties, Korac felt Zero warm at the confidence in his son’s voice. Inside his mind, Korac asked, “What about Nox? Will he survive? What happens to Elden?”

Zero’s smile was congenial and so similar to Razor’s signature expression that it unnerved Korac, as Zero said, “Midas will see to it.”

Midas?

Smith?!

The smiling man was calm and collected in the alcove, but Korac wouldn’t deny he seemed to hover near Xelan and Nox. The youngest brother stayed close to the oldest in case Elden needed further restraint. Elden kept his eyes on Silence, and they stared so intensely at one another, the ancient couple were breathing in time together. The only other person in the alcove was Tumu, and he stepped out to the cliff’s edge.

As he decompressed, the Primary’s deep voice boomed, “I hope you’re right, One.” The sixty-five foot Gargantuan wedged his toe-less feet against the rocks/glass/gold sides of the ravine and straddled the Source. He cupped his hands around the bridge and formed a barrier surrounding the Progeny action.

Korac shook his head and blinked in bewilderment.

Xelan shouted into the wind, “You’ve been holding out on me, old friend!”

Tumu winked with one void and said, “More than you know.”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

The Tritan glowed—bright and white—until his features paled.

Inside his head, Korac breathed, “A perception filter. Tumu’s half-Aegis.”

Zero only nodded.

Karma was a bitch. Korac owed so many people—mostly Pehton—for how often he’d withheld answers to questions in order to maintain his trademark air of mystery. Apparently, it was a genetic trait, and it had certainly come back to bite Korac in the ass.

“That’s my woman risking her life out there, father. Don’t tell me my faith is misplaced.”

This time Zero dropped the smile when he nodded and said, “One will see it done, and we will close the fissure we created. Tumu will ensure Sagan survives.”

It bolstered Korac’s confidence. “And this is it? Once it’s closed, no more Probability Matrix?”

“A permanent fusion. With a few drops of your blood, we will recreate the making of a conduit in reverse and seal it for Eternity.”

Eternity.

But…

“What about those who fell into the Source? What happens to Celindria?”

The congenial smile returned, accompanied by the karmic silence.

Korac opened his mouth to disparage his father for ruining an informative conversation when Celindria’s heart pulsed through the ravine. The frame around Korac’s understanding of reality blurred like a bad 3D movie.

“Now, Silence,” Lucas ordered.

The Mother held out her hand, and a white nacre with an amber chip was in her palm. “My love, please. Leave our grandson.”

Elden shook Nox’s head. Their baritones were layered as he said, “I will not leave until the fight is finished.”

Disappointed, Silence lowered her eyes before muttering, “Midas. Please don’t hurt him.”

Inside his mind, Korac’s eyes widened as Smith opened his hand to reveal three rocks. Within seconds, they molded into malleable minerals and solidified into gold. Before Korac could utter a word, Smith pressed the rocks against Elden’s skin. Although Nox seemed to tolerate gold in this iteration of his form, Elden’s nanites reacted as typical of Icari.

Nox screamed

Nacre in hand, Silence forced it into Nox’s fist and cried, “Please, Elden! Don’t punish Nox for Umbra’s crimes!”

“Son.”

Despite the calm in Zero’s voice, Korac couldn’t look away. Couldn’t relax his jaw or unclench his fists. That was his best friend—his brother—in there. Never mind the man they were torturing had established half of Korac’s identity.

Zero tried again. “He will survive. They both will, but only if Elden complies.”

A tear spilled down Korac’s cheek, both physical and metaphysical. “Why must you ask so much of this Icarus? Rayne told us of One’s experiments on the Icarean forefather. Why?”

“You wonder why I withhold answers from you. I do not. I am merely waiting for them to reveal themselves—And there. Here they come. Hold on.”

The glow of Elden’s essence dissipated from Nox’s body as the Icarean deity transferred his nanites into the nacre in Silence’s hand. There wasn’t time to contemplate or ask questions.

Smith, Silence, and Lucas ran off the edge of the cliff and dove into the Source.

To Korac’s astonishment, Zero piloted his body to do the same. The last thing Korac saw before oblivion took him was Xelan kneeling to check on Nox. Brother weeping for brother.

It was all the assurance Korac needed.

With or without him, they would be fine.