The desert station's main room had become a tomb of waiting.
Axel stood at the window, watching the sun rise over the endless sands. The orange glow painted the horizon, a stark contrast to the darkness that had consumed their lives. Seventy-nine chapters. Seventy-nine battles. And still, the Covenant was out there, waiting for its moment to strike.
"We need to talk," Kai said, his voice low. "There's something I haven't told you. Something about the Covenant."
Axel turned, his eyes tired. "What is it?"
"The Covenant isn't just another organization. They're the remnants of something older. Something that predates the Exordium, the Collective, even the Ascendancy." Kai's voice was flat. "They call themselves the True Origin."
"The True Origin?" Vance leaned forward, his interest piqued
