The Price of Power
Avery stood in the shattered library, her hand clutching the shard Marcus had given her. Its faint glow pulsed in sync with her heartbeat, a fragile link to a man who had given everything for her. She felt Lucas's presence near by, but his words were drowned out by the pounding in her ears. The Architect's laughter echoed across the air, taunting and pervasive.
The room faded as a strange cold fell over her. The shard in her palm glowed hotter, as if it was rejecting whatever approaching. A low hum began to push upward, vibrating through the partitions and deep into her bones.
Then the shadows moved. They merged in front of her, morphing into a parent too large to comprehend. Its shape shimmered, alternating between a towering silhouette and a cascade of stars. Its speech filled the area, no longer legitimate but an overwhelming force pressing against her thoughts.
"I'm Avery Chen. You have danced on the borders of the endless. Now, we meet."