The battlefield was eerily quiet in the aftermath of the rift's partial collapse. The Harbingers were gone, their forms disintegrated into motes of violet light. The ship had vanished, leaving no trace of its origin. But the rift's energy still lingered, crackling in the air like a storm that had not fully passed.
Raith helped Juno to her feet. Her face was pale, her hands trembling from the sheer mental and physical toll of stabilizing the Nexus. "Is it over?" she asked, her voice barely audible.
Raith shook his head, his expression grim. "No. This was just the beginning. We stopped the rift from expanding, but we didn't destroy it. And Nia..."
He turned to where Nia had stood before stepping into the rift. The space was empty now, her glowing form consumed by the Nexus's energy. Raith felt a pang of guilt and loss but pushed it aside. There was no time to grieve—not yet.
Juno checked the Nexus's readings, her eyes widening in alarm. "Raith, you need to see this."
"What now?" he asked, moving to her side.
"The rift's core hasn't shut down. It's consolidating itself—shrinking, yes, but growing denser. It's not going to stop. If we don't destroy the core, it will restart the cycle all over again."
Raith clenched his fists, frustration and determination boiling within him. "Then we take it out. Whatever it takes."
Juno hesitated. "There's more. Nia... she's still in there. Her energy signature is merging with the core. If we destroy it, we destroy her too."
The weight of the choice settled over Raith like a crushing wave. "There's no other way?"
Juno shook her head. "If we leave the rift intact, it will collapse everything. But if we destroy it..."
Raith closed his eyes, his heart heavy. "Then we finish this. For her, for everyone."