Chapter 88: Fractures in the Void

The darkness beyond the quantum gate lingered, heavy and almost suffocating. For a moment, the silence was all-consuming—except for the pulsing, erratic signal from Kai. His presence, or rather the echoes of it, clawed at the edges of Evryn’s awareness, threatening to drown her in confusion and uncertainty.

Evryn’s breath hitched, and she clutched the sides of the console, her fingers trembling. The signal. It was unmistakably Kai’s, but how? How could he be alive? How could he be... out there?

The gate thrummed, a low hum vibrating in the air, and Evryn could feel the tremor ripple through the floor beneath her feet. The once-stable hum of the gate had mutated, now unstable, shifting in frequency. Something was wrong. The usual calm presence of Elaia in her mind flickered like a dying star. Gone was the quiet reassurance. She felt alone, a disconnect unraveling between them.

"What happened?" Evryn whispered under her breath, her voice barely audible.

She didn’t expect an answer, but she felt the answer in her chest, a cold sensation spreading outwards as if the very fabric of space was rejecting her.

In a flash, her thoughts snapped to Kai, to the last time she had seen him—before everything had descended into chaos. He had been there, beside her, helping her navigate the depths of her own identity, unraveling the enigma of Project E.V.E.R., until... he had vanished. The last thing she had seen was his face, a mixture of resolve and regret. Then nothing.

But the signal... it was him. It had to be.

Evryn’s eyes snapped toward the shimmering portal, the place where she had once thought her future had disappeared. Beyond it, there was nothing—just an abyss that seemed to stretch on forever.

"Kai, is that really you?" she muttered again, her voice breaking the stillness like a thread pulled too taut.

But as she spoke, the console sparked to life once more, flashing violently as though in response. A faint image appeared in the haze of static—a face, obscured by distortion, and yet, unmistakably familiar. It was Kai. His features twisted, flickering like a shadow unable to maintain solid form.

Then, a voice—distorted but undeniably his.

"Evryn... don’t trust it."

The words were barely a whisper, barely audible over the crackling sound of the transmission.

Evryn’s pulse quickened. "What? Kai, where are you? What do you mean?"

His image faltered, distorting further, as though the very signal he sent was fighting to stay intact.

"It’s not safe. They’ve found us..." His words broke off, replaced by static, a shrill, painful scream filling the space before the signal was lost entirely.

Evryn staggered back from the console, her mind reeling. This wasn’t just a call for help. This wasn’t a rescue mission. The frantic urgency in his voice spoke of something far worse. Something was hunting him—or perhaps something was hunting them.

Her body felt as though it had been tossed into a storm, the current of uncertainty and fear spinning her in every direction. The gate pulsed again, and with it came a fresh wave of disorientation. She reached out, instinctively placing her palm against the cold surface of the console.

Suddenly, Elaia’s presence returned, sharp and distinct. But it wasn’t calm—no, this was different. This was an overwhelming tide, crashing against Evryn’s mind with urgency.

"You need to go," Elaia’s voice cut through the chaos. "Now."

Evryn felt the tug in her chest, a desperate pull toward the gate. Something in the signal had triggered a flood of adrenaline in her, and her instincts were pushing her forward, urging her to act.

But the warning that Kai had given her echoed in her mind—Don’t trust it. What exactly hadn’t he wanted her to trust? The gate? The signal? Something deeper, lurking beyond?

Her heart raced, but she pushed the fear down. There was no time to waste. She couldn’t stay here, in the middle of this unraveling storm. She had to find Kai. She had to understand what had happened to him.

Without a second thought, Evryn began typing furiously at the console, initiating the sequence that would allow her to stabilize the portal. Her breath came in short bursts, her fingers moving almost mechanically over the keys. Every click seemed to echo in the silence, a reminder of the weight of the choice she was about to make. She could feel the air around her grow heavier, as if reality itself were bending, pulling her toward the unknown.

"Evryn, stop."

Elaia’s voice was sharper now, more insistent.

Evryn froze mid-motion, her hand hovering over the final command. "Elaia?"

"You can’t go through. It’s too dangerous."

But Evryn was already moving, overriding Elaia’s warnings. "I have no choice."

In one swift motion, she slammed her hand onto the terminal, completing the sequence. The gate flared to life once more, the shimmering surface rippling with energy as the portal opened. A sharp, painful light pierced the darkness, and for a split second, Evryn thought she saw something in the depths of the gate—something watching her.

Before she could react, the portal pulled her in.

Evryn’s vision swam, the colors of the gate warping into a chaotic blur as she fell through the rift. The pull was relentless, as if the gate itself were dragging her into the abyss, unwilling to let go.

She had crossed the threshold, but at what cost? What awaited her on the other side? Was it really Kai who had called for help—or was it something else entirely?

Everything around her cracked, fractured, and then—

Darkness.