The stars shimmered faintly around Adrian as he drifted in silence, absorbing the enormity of the Gateway's final words. He had chosen to stand at the precipice of the Cycle, to gaze into its depths and wrestle with truths that transcended mortal understanding. The Silent Choir's knowledge, the fragments of their legacy, were now his burden and his blessing. Though he had gained wisdom and understanding, the darkness still whispered, a reminder of the vast unknowns he had yet to explore.
As the ship recalibrated itself, preparing to exit the Abyssal Horizon, Adrian felt a shift—a subtle hum that vibrated through the hull, a signal that resonated with something deep within his core. His gaze fell upon the relic, its once-dormant symbols now faintly aglow, as though stirred by his choice. Though he could not fully comprehend the relic's mysterious inscriptions, he sensed that they spoke of paths untraveled, of secrets guarded even beyond the Silent Choir's reach.
"One journey ends, but another begins," the relic seemed to murmur, its energy intertwining with his thoughts, a quiet promise echoing in his mind.
As the ship drifted toward familiar starlight, Adrian knew he was leaving the Abyssal Horizon changed, marked by all he had seen and learned. The Primeborn's ancient wisdom had taken root within him, a quiet, undying ember. And though his course was set back toward known galaxies, he could feel it—that pull, that quiet beckoning from the places left unexplored, mysteries yet undiscovered. Somewhere, beyond the stars, the Cycle would call him again.
Adrian took a final look back at the Abyssal Horizon, the vast darkness he had entered as a seeker and left as something more. The stars beyond seemed brighter somehow, as if watching and waiting, whispering of secrets he would one day pursue.
And as he set his course homeward, he felt the faintest pulse of anticipation, a reminder that the journey—his true journey—had only just begun.