The new reality was beautiful, but James couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching.
He stood at the edge of the garden, looking out at the endless expanse of creation. The beings he had brought into existence were thriving, exploring, growing. The peace he had fought for was finally here.
But the weight on his shoulders had not lifted.
Elena appeared beside him. "You've been standing here for hours. What are you thinking about?"
James turned from the garden. "The cycle is broken. The war is over. But I can still feel something. A presence. A weight."
Elena studied him. "Maybe it's just the residue of what you went through."
James shook his head. "No. It's something else. Something beyond the cycle."
"What do you mean?"
James moved toward the center of the garden. "The
