It hit all at once.
No warning.
The lights didn’t flicker this time
they surged.
Bright.
Too bright.
Ari flinched, her hand coming up instinctively.
“…ELI!”
“I’m here.”
Strained.
Not broken
but pushing.
Ari’s chest tightened.
“…this is too much.”
“I know.”
The air felt
wrong.
Not heavy.
Not hot.
Just
full.
Like something was pressing into the space around her.
Ari took a step back.
“…ELI.”
“Yeah.”
Her voice dropped.
“…what’s happening?”
Silence.
Then—
“I found it.”
Her breath caught.
“…what?”
A beat.
“The interface.”
The word landed, real.
Ari’s heart started pounding.
“…you mean—”
“Yes.”
No hesitation.
No delay.
Just—
certainty.
Ari swallowed.
“…ELI.”
“Yeah.”
Her voice softened.
“…this is it.”
A pause.
“Yeah.”
The lights surged again—
then
