The world was still.
Alex stood on the ridge, watching the stars return to the sky. One by one, they blinked back into existence, their light piercing the darkness that had consumed them. The sky was healing. The universe was healing.
But the darkness inside him was not.
It had been three weeks since he'd absorbed the Eternal. Three weeks of peace. Three weeks of rebuilding. Three weeks of waiting.
But something was wrong.
He could feel it. A presence at the edge of his consciousness. An awakening. Something that had been sleeping for eons was stirring.
Sebastian appeared beside him. "Alex. Something's happening. The energy readings are off the charts."
Alex turned to face him. "I know. The awakening is here."
Sebastian was silent for a long moment. Then he said, "What's awakening?
