The door to the Chamber of Memory remained open in front of me.Total darkness. Absolute silence. As if time didn't exist on the other side.
I took a deep breath.
Before stepping forward, my mind began drifting backward on its own. It wasn't a clear or organized memory… just fragments.
Canada.
The icy wind in Yellowknife.
Aunt Maeve's call.
The first Claimoor standing before me.
Then Eleonor. Always Eleonor.
Her stern gaze at the academy.
The words that broke me.
The night I decided to run away.
Then the recent chaos: explosions, chases, the bracelet activating, bases falling one after another.
Russia.
Vayegi.
Fighting the Claimoors.
The retreat.
All of it had happened in just a few days.
And now I was here.
It didn't feel real.
For years I thought running away meant freedom.
Now I understood I had only been postponing this moment.
I looked at my hands. They weren't trembling anymore.
—It's funny —I murmured to myself—. I thought I would never come back… and I ended up right in the middle of everything.
One last memory appeared, unexpectedly:
My father, before the academy, placing his hand on my head.
"Being strong doesn't mean not being afraid. It means moving forward even when you are."
I smiled faintly.
—Well… I guess I finally understand.
I stepped into the darkness.
And the door began closing behind me.
Meanwhile…
At the new main base of the ÓBroin family, the communications room was fully active for the first time since the attack.
There was no physical table occupied by the leaders. Instead, a circular holographic table floated at the center, displaying real-time projections. Suspended screens, active privacy seals, and a magical interference field ensured the transmission could not be intercepted.
Ciara presided over the meeting from Ireland. Her holographic image projected clearly; her posture was firm, although the fatigue in her eyes was noticeable. To her right, in projection, stood Dmitri; to her left, Maeve. Facing them, connected from different parts of the world, were the representatives of the other families.
The first to speak was the leader of the Japanese family.
A man in his fifties, dark hair tied back, with an exceptionally calm gaze.
Hiroshi Minamoto.
His projection stabilized before he spoke.
—The global situation is deteriorating faster than expected. Governments can no longer hide what happened. Satellites, civilians, military forces… everyone has seen something.
Another projection activated next.
It was the Brazilian leader.
A tall woman with dark skin, curly hair braided down her back, wearing a dark green tactical uniform.
Isabela Cavalcanti.
Her voice carried a slight digital distortion, but her tone remained firm.
—In South America the situation is unstable. There's panic in some areas and complete denial in others. If we don't provide an explanation soon, governments will start acting without proper information… and that could make things worse.
A third image appeared from Marseille.
Étienne Orleans, accompanied by Elena and Kenji, Atlas analysts.
—I agree —Étienne said—. Keeping this secret is no longer viable. The question isn't whether to reveal it… but how to do so without triggering global collapse.
Ciara folded her hands in front of her, even knowing no one could physically see the gesture.
—For five thousand years we protected humanity by keeping the balance hidden. Our ancestors accepted that responsibility. But the current situation has already exceeded our ability to contain it alone.
Hiroshi nodded slowly from his connection.
—If we reveal everything at once, some governments will react aggressively. They might attempt to use nuclear weapons against threats they don't understand.
—And that would break the remaining seals —Kenji added from Marseille.
Isabela lightly tapped her desk, the sound barely audible through the connection.
—Then the disclosure must be gradual and strategic. No myths, no vague stories. Verifiable data, controlled evidence, limited demonstrations.
Maeve intervened:
—First the main world leaders: the UN, nuclear powers, strategic alliances. Then coordinated civilian preparation.
Dmitri frowned.
—We also need to make something clear from the beginning: conventional human armies cannot face the Kartnod or the new Claimoors alone.
The silence that followed was noticeable even through the connection.
Because everyone knew what that implied.
They depended on the bearer.They depended on Noah.
Ciara took a deep breath before continuing.
—There's another critical point: the Nexus of the End. If that information leaks without control, panic would be immediate.
Étienne nodded from the screen.
—That information must remain classified even among governments. Only a very limited circle should know about it.
Isabela crossed her arms.
—Then the narrative must be clear: an ancient global threat exists, we are working together to contain it, and we need immediate international cooperation.
Hiroshi added:
—And discipline. If governments begin competing for relics or magical technology, internal human conflict could become just as dangerous as the Kartnod.
Ciara looked at each projection one by one.
—Five thousand years ago we survived because we fought together.This time we don't have that luxury… we have an entire world to convince.
No one responded.
Because everyone understood the magnitude of what was coming.
Far away, inside the Chamber of Memory, Noah was about to discover why he had been chosen.
And perhaps… what part of his past still remained hidden.