"This Summit is called to order," Elyon announced, standing at the head of the table. He acted as a moderator, but I could feel the heavy weight of his authority.
A hologram flickered to life in the center of the table. It displayed a web—a map of the Multiverse. But the lines connecting the worlds were glowing red, fraying at the edges.
"The Convergence approaches," Elyon said. His voice carried a grim finality. "The frequency barrier between realities is degrading. In three hundred days, the walls will fall. Permanent rifts will open. World bleed will become World Merge."
"What does this mean for the trade routes?" the cyborg asked. His voice was tinny and emotionless. "My world relies on importing titanium. If the walls fall, tariffs become unenforceable."
"It means chaos," the sand woman hissed, her voice like grinding stones. "It means invasion. Weak worlds will be consumed. Strong worlds will be flooded by refugees and scavengers."
Elyon zoomed in on the map. A small, blue dot blinked. Earth.
"Founder Shen," Elyon said, turning his gaze to me. "Your world is of particular interest."
"Earth," I said. "What about it?"
"It is a Null Point," Elyon revealed. "A world that died and was reborn. Your reality is now a keystone. A structural anchor for this entire sector."
I stared at the hologram. "I don't understand."
"Think of reality as a net," Elyon explained. "If the net sags, it creates holes. Your world is a pole. If you fall, the net collapses. If you hold, the sector remains stable. You are not just defending a planet, Shen. You are holding up the sky for a thousand worlds."
The weight of that statement settled on my shoulders like a physical burden. I thought I was just protecting my family. Now I was responsible for a quadrant of the multiverse?
"What do you want from me?" I asked, my voice tight.
"Participation," Elyon said. "You will open your World Anchor to the Directorate. We will install stabilizers. We will use your Null Point energy to reinforce the barrier."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then we classify your world as 'Non-Viable,'" Elyon said coldly. "And we strip-mine it before the Convergence begins. We will extract the resources and leave the husk to drift."
The table fell silent. The sand woman smiled.
It was a threat. A death warrant disguised as a business proposal.
"You're threatening me," I said softly.
"We are negotiating," Elyon corrected. "You are a small player in a very large game, Shen. You have a valuable piece of property. You can sell it to us, or we can take it. But we prefer cooperation."
I looked around the table. The cyborg was calculating my net worth. The shadow knight was assessing my combat threat. They weren't allies. They were a cartel.
I needed time. I needed to get back to the valley.
"I need to consult my council," I said, standing up. "I will give you my answer tomorrow."
Elyon's eyes narrowed. "Very well. But do not mistake our patience for weakness. One day, Founder. Then we require an answer."