The command center was crowded with leaders.
Marcus stood at the head of the table, surrounded by the faces of the allies he'd gathered over the past months. Sera from the Unbound, Jonas from the Remnants, Mira from the Guardians, Cruz from the Free, Helena from the Survivors, Rourke from the Defenders, and Lyra from the Sentinels. They were fighters, survivors, leaders who had kept hope alive in a world that had nearly ended.
"I want to thank you all for coming," Marcus said, his voice steady. "We've all been fighting the cabal, fighting the remnants of the signal. But now we face a new threat. Something that's been waiting for this moment."
Sera leaned forward, her eyes sharp. "The First Ones. We've heard the stories. But we need to know what we're really up against."
Marcus nodded s
