The choice was made.
I stood in the center of Freya's lab, the network pulsing in the back of my mind. The entities were waiting. The Architects were waiting. The Watchers were waiting. Everyone was waiting for me to make the decision that would change everything.
"Are you sure about this?" Freya asked, her voice tight with worry.
I looked at her. "I'm not sure. But I know it's the right thing to do."
"What happens when you start the transformation?" she asked.
I shook my head. "I don't know. No one does. This is uncharted territory."
"Then be careful," she said. "Please."
I nodded. "I will."
---
I sat in the chair, the headset in my hands.
The device was light, its surface cool to the touch. The network was pulsing in the back of my mind, its energy vibrant and alive. But there
