Five portals hung over the void, but Maya spoke first. "It was never about us," she said to Lucas, who nodded in understanding.
"We were meant to guide you here," Lucas explained to the others. "The Ancient who sent us... she knew."
Kai's usual humor vanished. "No. We're not sacrificing anyone."
But the siblings stepped back, their expressions serene. "Our grandfather taught us about necessary sacrifices," Maya said. "This is yours to face."
The Ancients rose from the abyss, but they weren't the ethereal beings of myth. Instead, they appeared as children—ancient eyes in young faces, their forms shifting between innocence and infinite wisdom. Each one bore marks of every supernatural race that had ever existed, their skin etched with living stories.
"Duck, duck, goose!" A child's voice rang out from the void, followed by giggles that echoed through different times.
