But even as they spoke of unity, a shadow began to spread across the web. Reports came in from distant worlds: power was growing unstable, fields were withering, and portals were flickering unpredictably. On one planet, a river that had run clear for millennia turned dark and stagnant. On another, the stars in their sky began to fade.
Lyra spent days studying the Heart, her brow furrowed with concern. "It's not a failure of the nodes," she announced to the core group one morning. "Something is feeding on the web's power—drawing it away without regard for balance."
Kai's jaw tightened. "Who would do that?"
"Not who," a new voice said, and they turned to see a figure they had never met—tall and slender, with skin like starlight and eyes that held a cold emptiness. "What."
The being stepped forward, and Clara felt a chill that had nothing to do with temperature. "I am Voidweaver," it said. "I was born in the spaces between worlds, where there is no light, no connection, no balance. The web you have built pushes against the darkness—and darkness always pushes back."
"You're draining the worlds," Mara said, her voice steady despite the tension in the air. "Why?"
"Because connection is an illusion," Voidweaver replied. "All things eventually drift apart, all light eventually fades. I am simply speeding what is inevitable—and in doing so, I gather the power needed to ensure the darkness endures."
Before they could respond, the being vanished, leaving only a cold echo in the air. The Heart flickered, and a portal in the corner of the chamber sputtered and died.