The heavy reinforced doors of the Astra-Fall war room hissed open, admitting the sixteen into a space that felt strangely small compared to the vast, ancient vaults they had just vacated. Alpha Ryker, Beta Bracken, Gamma Riven, and Delta Trenton stood in a rigid line of respect, their eyes wide as they took in the visible change in the young leaders. The air around the Paragons and Archons didn't just shimmer; it felt heavy, pressurized by the proximity of the Ark and the Prophecy.
Welcome home, Ryker said, his voice thick with a respect that had evolved into something closer to reverence. We saw the lights from the pass. We knew the gates had answered you.
Ryker led them to the central map table, where the holographic displays of the North flickered. For a few minutes, the tactical real
