The joyous cheers of Neo's children echoed across the pure starlight of their protected balcony, but the sound did not travel far into the outer dark. The newly named Gigaverse was a vast and majestic play of glowing cosmic spheres, yet the ambient energy of the infinite ocean suddenly grew incredibly heavy. The golden warmth radiating from Neo's recent victory began to flicker.
It was not extinguished by a sudden wind or a magical attack. It was simply swallowed by an encroaching, impossible density rising from the absolute lowest depths of existence.
Neo stopped smiling. He lowered his hands and stepped in front of his children, his golden eyes narrowing as he peered into the bottomless abyss below the illuminated Grand Realities.
Noir, Moon, and Zestia instantly felt the terrifying shift in the cosmic current. They moved in perfect unison, forming a tight defensive perimeter around Lyra, Orion, Silas, and Elara.
