The Ancient Nulls didn't descend; they **unfolded**.
As they dropped from the rift, their brass limbs expanded like the legs of giant spiders, anchoring themselves into the grey soil of the In-Between with a sound like iron spikes being driven into stone. They didn't have faces—only glowing green lenses that hissed as they scanned the environment.
"Analysis: Unauthorized Expansion detected," one of the Nulls droned. Its voice wasn't digital; it sounded like two grinding stones. "The 'Holding' protocol has expired. Repossessing raw materials."
"Raw materials?" I yelled, the Red Blood surging back to life. I felt the violet spark Silas had left in me ignite, creating a strange, swirling energy that felt like a storm in my veins. "We aren't materials! We’re the ones who survived your 'Grav
