The Sovereign Core kept pulsing louder brighter older
It wasn't just a power source
It was a signal
Up above far past the academy towers through the sky layers and into the hidden realm that oversaw the system itself the pulse arrived
And they heard it
High Command's sky palace trembled
A white room without corners walls or shadows
Inside ten seated beings
Faceless timeless perfect
They moved without speaking
System breach
Sovereign resurrection confirmed
Subject Kael'Naros designation upgraded from sealed threat to anomaly
Target must be erased
Another voice echoed from the center
Deploy Reaper Squad Zero
Back in the graveyard chamber Azel's blade was still glowing faintly from the last strike
Echo leaned on a pillar grinning barely breathing
That was worth it
Sera was patching his shoulder with a rapid-seal rune
Then she froze
Her eyes turned skyward
They're coming
Echo blinked
Who
She looked at Azel
They
From the system itself
Azel narrowed his eyes
So the gods finally noticed
The air above them cracked like glass
And through the ceiling without breaking stone came three shapes
Each wore long cloaks pure silver etched with floating runes
No faces no words
Just presence
One raised a hand
And the entire mana inside the chamber froze
Like someone pressed pause on reality
Echo collapsed to one knee
Sera gasped
I can't move
Azel didn't flinch
He stared at the nearest figure
You're not alive
You're code
The central Reaper lifted its hand again
And spoke without voice
Directive received
You are a deviation
This world must reset
Azel laughed
Then let's glitch it
He activated the Sovereign Core again
This time it synced with Echo automatically
And Sera's eyes began to glow too
A third path opened
One not written
The Reapers hesitated
This is not recorded
This power is unscripted
Azel stepped forward
Because we're writing it now
He struck first
Reality screamed
Time bled
And for the first time since their creation
A Reaper dodged