The cursed island, now shattered, is silent, with only the breeze carrying toxic technomagic ash. Lyra kneels among the ruins of Kael's ship, the medallion intact, glowing warmly in her palm. The sun symbol, once split, is now whole again, emitting a soft blue light like the beating heart of life.
"He... is still here," Lyra whispers, her voice hoarse from tears that never fell. "I can feel him."
Niro wipes the dried blood from his temple, his eyes fixed on the sky where the green aurora begins to fade. "The Nexus is calm. But this peace is false. The Supremacy may be shattered, but the Lumen Faction still has hidden cells."
Suddenly, the medallion vibrates. Its light projects a holographic map into the air—a location in the heart of the Aetherion Desert, believed to be the burial place of ancient technomancers.
"This is a clue from Rael," Lyra whispers with hope.
Niro frowns. "Or a trap. The Lumen Faction must have seen this too."
A stomp of boots breaks the silence. From the ash fog, a group of scavengers from the Lower District emerges, their stolen weapons aimed. "Hey, that's an ancient medallion! That could buy half the city!" shouts their leader, a man with a burned face and bionic arms.
Lyra stands, the energy pistol ion in her hand crackling to life. "Don't come any closer!"
But Niro is faster. With a fluid motion, his magnetic sword strikes, disarming the scavengers. "Leave. Or I'll bury you in the sand."
The scavengers retreat but don't get far. Lumen Faction drones suddenly appear from the sky, firing mercilessly. Blood and metal spray.
"Run!" Niro shouts, pulling Lyra toward the ruins.
Behind the rubble, an unknown technomancer appears. His black cloak and respirator mask obscure his face. "That medallion is not for you," his voice echoes electronically. "Hand it over, or follow Rael's fate."
Lyra shoots, but her ion bullets ricochet off an energy shield. The technomancer laughs, activating a dimensional resonance weapon that shakes the ground.
"You think the Lumen Faction is the only threat?" he mocks. "This world is full of those thirsting for the Nexus power."
Niro leaps, his sword clashing with the weapon. But the technomancer is too fast. A hologram knife embeds itself in Niro's shoulder, bringing him down.
"Game over for you," the technomancer aims his weapon at Lyra.
The medallion suddenly pulses brightly. Blue light bursts forth, forming a transparent silhouette of Rael. His hand touches the weapon, turning it to dust.
"Don't touch what's mine," Rael's voice echoes from the medallion.
The technomancer is thrown back, his mask cracking. "This... is impossible!"
But before he can react, a blue portal opens beneath his feet, pulling him into the dimensional abyss.
Lyra holds the still-glowing medallion. "Rael... where are you?"
Rael's hologram smiles weakly. "Look for Kael's Floating Palace. That's where it all began... and ends."
The light fades, leaving a new map in the air—a location known only in legend: the Floating Palace, buried in an eternal magnetic storm.
"Are you sure this isn't an illusion?" Niro asks, holding his bleeding shoulder.
Lyra stares at the medallion. "I trust him. Just like he trusted us."
In the distance, among the aurora's dust, the shadow of the Supremacy watches. Its holographic eyes glow, formulating a new plan.