Julian stared at the unconscious traitor, then at the peacefully pulsing Aetherium Core. The victory felt hollow, tainted by the bitter taste of betrayal and the chilling promise of an even greater threat. He had secured the first relic, but the Konsili had claimed a piece of his trust, planting a seed of paranoia deep within his ranks. And Ben's words about the Kebangkitan, about Archon and the Seed, left a cold, unsettling premonition. The fight for the Aetherium was only just beginning, and the enemy was far more pervasive, far more insidious, than he had ever truly understood.
They are everywhere, Julian thought, the silent whisper echoing Kaelen's warning. And they are coming.
Elara rushed to Julian's side, her face pale, her hands trembling slightly as she scanned the Core with her
