“It’s not natural,” said her partner, Leo, rubbing his temples. “It sounds like a cello being played inside a glacier.”
It was an invitation.
Outside the viewport, the void between galaxies began to shimmer, as if the universe itself was drawing a slow, patient breath.
The signal was weak, but its pattern was undeniable. It was counting down.
Elara read it three times. The fear didn't vanish, but something else grew alongside it: a fragile, terrifying hope. Midious wasn't a conqueror.
Until last Tuesday.