Ryan's scar blazed as the figure stepped through the door of pure light.
The being was tall—not in the way the First was tall, with ancient presence and shifting form. This was different. This was solid. Real. Its body was made of something that looked like flesh, but not human flesh. It was the color of twilight, shifting between blue and grey and silver. Its eyes were the color of stars—not reflecting light, but generating it.
"Who are you?" Ryan demanded, stepping in front of Mira.
The figure smiled. Its teeth were white, perfect, too many to count.
"I am what you might call a neighbor. I've been watching your world for a very long time."
The First stepped forward, its ancient form shimmering with unease.
"You should not exist. The doors beyond the web were sealed. They were never
