I woke in the safehouse, days later.
Davina was beside me, dark circles under her eyes, paint on her hands. She'd been painting while I slept—a mural of the battle, of the city surviving, of me standing against the darkness.
"You almost died," she said.
"I've almost died before."
"Not like this. Not with your power failing, your body shutting down, your..." She trailed off, unable to continue.
"But I didn't die."
"No." She took my hand. "Oracle came. She did something—pushed power into you, stabilized you. She said you weren't ready for Stage 5 yet. That forcing it would destroy everything."
Oracle. Always watching, always helping, always keeping secrets.
"Where is she now?"
"Gone. She said she'd be back when you needed her." Davina squeezed my hand. "Hope's been asking for you. She was scared."
"Then I should see her."
Hope was in the clearing, sitting in the spot where we trained. She looked up when I approached, her expression serious beyond her years.
"You fought the monsters," she said.
"I did."
"Did you win?"
"I think so. For now."
Hope considered this. Then she stood and walked to me, wrapping her arms around my waist in a hug that said everything words couldn't.
"Don't leave," she whispered. "Please."
I hugged her back, feeling the weight of her trust, her love, her desperate need for stability in a world that kept trying to tear itself apart.
"I won't," I said. "Not if I can help it."
[EVOLUTION PROGRESS: 98% → 99%]
[Stage 5: ONE STEP AWAY]
[The choice is approaching]
[Are you ready, Paradox?]
No. But I was getting there.
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