Chapter 17: Crossroads of Fate

The station felt alive around them. The glowing core beat like a slow heart. Shadows moved on the walls, making strange shapes. The air smelled heavy, full of secrets.

Elias and Maeve stood next to each other in the big room. Silence hung between them like a heavy blanket. Maeve's eyes shone gold in the soft light. She looked both strong and fragile, like someone caught between two worlds.

"Tell me," Elias said quietly, his voice rough, "what happens if you follow this destiny? What will I lose?"

Maeve looked down. "I don't know," she said. "But I have seen pieces of the future. I'm not just a project or a weapon. There is a reason I was made. A reason I'm still alive."

She took a deep breath. "This place isn't just a station. It's like a cradle that holds me. And maybe a prison too. It might be the key to something much bigger. Something that can change everything — or destroy it."

Elias felt a heavy weight in his chest. "Then we have to fight it. Together."

Maeve smiled, tired but real. "That's what I want too."

Suddenly, the floor shook. Dust fell from the ceiling. The glowing core pulsed faster and brighter, like it was listening to their feelings.

Elias looked at Maeve. Her face was serious now. "Whatever happens, we can't be apart."

She nodded. "We're on a path with no turning back. But I promise, I won't lose you."

The shadows grew darker. A low hum rose in the distance — like a warning or a call.

The future was uncertain. The cost unknown.

But Elias and Maeve stepped forward — ready to face whatever came next.