The decision to travel to Antarctica was made in less than ten minutes.
The Underground command centre was falling apart around them. Explosions shook the upper levels, emergency lights flashed across the corridors, and armed personnel rushed between rooms carrying weapons and medical equipment. The Remnants had located their position, and it was only a matter of time before their forces breached the facility.
Elias stood beside the main operations table while the Archivist projected a map of the southern hemisphere. A glowing route stretched from their current position towards the Antarctic continent, passing through several regions where Echo activity had increased dramatically.
"How long will it take us to reach the Source Point?" Elias asked.
"Under normal atmospheric and navigational conditions, approximately fourteen hours by high-speed aircraft," the Archivist replied. "However, current temporal disturbances may increase the journey time significantly."
"How significantly?"
"That cannot be determined."
Elias looked at Sola.
"That's becoming your favourite answer."
"You're beginning to understand our situation," she replied.
A man entered the operations room carrying a small equipment case. He was in his early thirties, with short dark hair and a scar running from his left cheek towards his jaw. His clothes were covered in dust, and a compact rifle hung across his chest.
"Transport is ready," he announced. "We have a modified long-range aircraft in the eastern hangar. It was originally designed for Echo salvage operations, but we've reinforced the engines and installed Chronite shielding."
Elias turned towards him.
"Who are you?"
"Marcus Reed. Underground logistics and field operations. I'll be taking you south."
"How many people are coming?"
"Five, including me."
Sola looked towards the equipment case.
"Who's on the crew?"
"Dr. Anika Rao is handling the temporal readings. Tomas is our pilot, and Kira is our communications specialist. I have two security personnel joining us."
Elias nodded.
"Good. Let's move."
Before anyone could leave, the Archivist displayed another notification.
"Incoming transmission detected."
A familiar voice emerged from the speakers.
"Director Vane to all active DTS units. Operation Cauterize is now under emergency authorization. All personnel are to prioritize the containment of active Echo zones and the capture of identified Paradox Sync subjects."
Elias stopped walking.
"He's coming after me again."
Sola looked towards the communication system.
"He's not the only one."
The Archivist enlarged the map.
Several Remnant formations were already moving towards the southern ocean.
The race had begun.
The aircraft was unlike anything Elias had travelled in before.
Its exterior was covered with dark composite panels, reinforced along the wings with Chronite shielding. Several compact engines were mounted beneath its body, and a circular device occupied the rear section of the cabin. According to Marcus, the device was designed to stabilize the aircraft when passing through minor Echo disturbances.
It was not built to survive a full temporal storm.
Elias hoped they would not have to find out whether it could.
The crew boarded quickly. Dr. Anika Rao was already inside, examining a series of readings on a portable monitor. She was a woman in her early forties, with glasses and a calm expression that seemed almost out of place given their circumstances.
"You're Elias Thorne," she said when he approached.
"That's what they keep telling me."
She offered a brief smile.
"I've read the reports about your abilities. Retrospection, correct?"
"Something like that."
"Do you know whether your connection to the Engine is permanent?"
Elias looked at Sola.
"Apparently, nobody knows."
Anika nodded.
"That's concerning."
"You're telling me."
She returned her attention to the monitor.
"Your temporal readings are unusual. Even without active Chronite exposure, your signature fluctuates between two distinct frequencies. It's almost as if your body is trying to occupy two different positions in time."
Elias sat down.
"Is that bad?"
"It could be. But it might also be the reason you're compatible with the Grand Sync Engine."
"Wonderful. At least one thing about me is useful."
Across the cabin, Sola was checking the weapons and emergency equipment. Marcus approached her and handed over a small device.
"Temporal stabilizer. We've modified it to work with your Stasis ability."
She examined it.
"This is unstable."
"It's the best we could build."
"How long will it last?"
"Three minutes under normal conditions. Less if the surrounding Chronite concentration is high."
Sola shook her head.
"We're going to need more than three minutes."
Marcus gave a tired smile.
"Then try not to use it for longer."
The aircraft's engines began powering up.
Tomas's voice came through the cabin speakers.
"Everyone secure yourselves. We're leaving."
The aircraft lifted from the hangar and disappeared into the night.
The first few hours passed without incident.
They flew south over the ocean, avoiding major Echo zones and maintaining communication with the Underground's remaining monitoring stations. Below them, the darkness was occasionally interrupted by distant flashes of blue light, evidence of temporal activity spreading across the planet.
Elias sat beside the window, watching the clouds move beneath the aircraft.
He had barely slept in days.
Every time he closed his eyes, he remembered Lena's voice, the images of the Grand Sync Engine, and the warning that his connection to the machine could destroy him. He wondered whether his future self had experienced the same fear. If that version of him had helped create the Engine, perhaps he had also discovered a way to stop it.
But if he had, why had he been sent backwards?
The question continued bothering him.
Sola eventually took the seat opposite him.
"You should rest."
"I don't think I can."
"You're going to need your strength."
"Strength for what? Connecting myself to a machine that might turn my brain into Chronite?"
Sola did not smile.
"That is a possibility."
"You're not very good at encouraging people."
"I prefer telling you the truth."
Elias looked outside again.
"Did you ever imagine we'd end up here?"
"No."
"After everything you've told me, I find that difficult to believe."
Sola leaned back.
"When I helped build the Grand Sync Engine, I believed we were working towards something extraordinary. We thought we could save billions of people. I never imagined that our solution would become the greatest threat humanity had ever faced."
"And now you're trying to fix it."
"I'm trying to take responsibility."
Elias looked at her.
"Is that why you keep following me?"
Sola considered the question.
"Partly."
"What's the other part?"
She looked towards the window.
"Because I know what happens if you reach the Engine without someone who understands it."
Elias studied her expression but decided not to ask anything else.
For now, they needed each other.
The first Echo storm appeared over the Southern Ocean.
It began as a thin blue line along the horizon, stretching from one side of the sky to the other. At first, Tomas assumed it was an atmospheric disturbance. However, the aircraft's instruments immediately began producing conflicting readings.
"Anika, what am I looking at?" he asked.
Dr. Rao checked her monitor.
"That's not a normal storm."
The blue line expanded.
Clouds began forming in circular patterns, rotating around a dark region in the atmosphere. Lightning flashed inside the clouds, but instead of striking towards the ground, several bolts travelled upwards. The air around the aircraft vibrated as though something enormous was moving through it.
The Archivist activated.
"Temporal instability detected. The aircraft is approaching a major Echo boundary."
Marcus moved towards the cockpit.
"Can we go around it?"
Tomas examined the navigation display.
"Not without entering another active zone. The entire southern route is changing."
Sola stood.
"How large is the storm?"
Anika enlarged the readings.
"At least six hundred kilometres across. Possibly more."
Elias stared through the window.
Something moved inside the clouds.
For a brief moment, he saw the outline of a massive structure suspended in the atmosphere. It resembled a futuristic city, with towers extending above the cloud layer and enormous bridges connecting them.
Then it disappeared.
"What was that?" he asked.
Anika looked at him.
"Probably an Echo manifestation."
"No. I saw something moving."
The aircraft suddenly dropped.
Everyone grabbed their seats as the cabin tilted violently. A warning alarm sounded, and the lights flickered.
"Tomas!" Marcus shouted.
"I'm trying!"
The aircraft's navigation system displayed several versions of their current position. One showed them above the Southern Ocean. Another placed them over a vast metallic landscape. A third showed the aircraft already buried beneath a frozen surface.
The Archivist spoke.
"Temporal displacement event imminent."
Elias felt a familiar pressure behind his eyes.
He reached towards the nearest metal panel.
The moment his fingers touched it, the world changed.
He was standing in a different version of the aircraft.
The cabin was damaged. Smoke filled the air, and several seats were empty. Marcus lay against the rear wall, unconscious. Anika was nowhere to be seen.
Outside the window, the ocean had disappeared.
Instead, an endless field of ice stretched towards the horizon. Towering structures rose from beneath the frozen surface, their metallic bodies covered in glowing Chronite veins. Above them, enormous vessels hovered in the sky.
Elias turned towards the cockpit.
A figure stood there.
It was him.
But older.
His face was thinner, and his hair was longer. Several dark markings extended from his neck towards his jaw, glowing faintly beneath his skin. His eyes carried the same unnatural blue light Elias had seen in his Retrospection visions.
The older Elias looked towards him.
"You shouldn't have come."
Elias stepped forward.
"Who are you?"
The figure did not answer immediately.
"The Engine is waiting."
"What does that mean?"
"You think you can control it because the Archivist told you that you're a Paradox Sync. But the Engine doesn't care what you want."
Elias felt the pressure in his head intensify.
"Then why did you build it?"
The older version of him looked away.
"Because I thought there was no other choice."
The vision began breaking apart.
"Wait!"
The older Elias turned one final time.
"Whatever happens, don't let them complete the sequence."
Then the world collapsed.
Elias opened his eyes.
He was back inside the aircraft, gripping the metal panel with both hands. Sola was standing in front of him.
"Elias!"
He released the panel.
"What happened?"
"You were unresponsive for almost twenty seconds."
He looked around.
The aircraft was still shaking, but the cabin lights had stabilized.
"I saw something."
Sola studied him.
"Another Retrospection?"
"Yes."
"What did you see?"
Elias hesitated.
"Myself."
Her expression changed.
"Your future self?"
"I think so."
"What did he say?"
Elias looked towards the window.
"He said the Engine doesn't care what I want."
The aircraft finally emerged from the Echo storm after another twenty minutes.
The sky outside was darker than before, and the ocean below appeared unusually still. Several enormous ice formations floated across the water, some carrying the remains of buildings and transportation systems.
Dr. Rao examined the readings.
"We've crossed into a partially synchronized environment."
Marcus approached.
"Meaning?"
"Parts of the future timeline are physically overlapping this region. The ice formations aren't entirely from our present. Some of them belong to a future Antarctic landscape."
Elias looked outside.
"Is Antarctica already changing?"
Anika nodded.
"More than changing. It's becoming an active synchronization zone."
The Archivist displayed a new map.
A series of glowing markers appeared across the southern continent. Some were moving, while others remained fixed around a central location.
"Multiple Remnant vessels have entered the region," it reported. "The largest formations are converging on the Source Point."
Marcus frowned.
"How many?"
"At least fourteen confirmed carriers. Additional vessels remain undetected."
Sola looked at Elias.
"They're going to reach the Engine before us."
"Then we move faster."
Tomas shook his head from the cockpit.
"We can't. The engines are overheating, and the Chronite shielding took damage during the storm."
"How long before we can continue?"
"Twenty minutes, if nothing else goes wrong."
Marcus looked towards the display.
"Then we have twenty minutes to find out how much trouble we're in."
The answer came sooner than expected.
A warning appeared on the aircraft's external radar.
Three unidentified vessels had emerged from the Echo boundary behind them. Their silhouettes were long and narrow, with metallic wings that extended beyond their central bodies. Each vessel carried several energy weapons beneath its frame.
Dr. Rao examined the identification signals.
"Remnant interceptors."
Marcus immediately moved towards the weapons compartment.
"They tracked us."
Sola stood beside Elias.
"How close?"
"Approximately eight kilometres and closing."
Tomas activated the aircraft's defensive systems.
"Everyone hold on. I'm taking evasive action."
The aircraft banked sharply as the first energy burst passed beneath its left wing. A second strike hit the rear stabilizer, causing the entire cabin to shake.
Marcus opened the weapons compartment and distributed compact rifles to the security personnel.
"These won't do much against their armour," Elias said.
"They don't need to destroy the vessels," Marcus replied. "They just need to make them uncomfortable."
One of the interceptors moved alongside the aircraft.
A figure appeared through its forward window, wearing advanced Remnant armour. The pilot raised one hand and activated a communication channel.
A voice entered the cabin.
"Unidentified vessel, reduce speed and prepare for boarding."
Tomas ignored the instruction.
The Remnant pilot continued.
"Your passengers include a classified temporal subject. Surrender Elias Thorne, and the remaining personnel will be permitted to continue."
Elias stepped towards the communication panel.
"Tell them to get lost."
Marcus gave him a brief look.
"That was probably not the diplomatic answer."
"It's the only one I've got."
The Remnant pilot raised his weapon.
A concentrated burst struck the aircraft's right wing.
The vessel lurched sideways.
Anika screamed as her monitor flew from her hands. Marcus grabbed the nearest support rail, while Sola activated her Stasis ability.
For a few seconds, everything stopped.
The incoming energy burst remained suspended outside the aircraft. The Remnant interceptor froze beside them, its engines locked in place.
Sola's body trembled.
"Marcus, now!"
He activated the modified stabilizer.
A pulse of Chronite energy spread across the aircraft's exterior, creating a temporary protective field. Sola released her Stasis.
Time returned.
The incoming projectile struck the protective field and exploded harmlessly against it.
The Remnant interceptor veered away.
But the other two vessels were already approaching.
The second attack came from above.
One interceptor descended towards the aircraft while the other positioned itself behind them. Tomas attempted to dive beneath the approaching vessel, but the damaged wing prevented a sharp manoeuvre.
"We're losing altitude!" he shouted.
Marcus moved towards the rear access panel.
"We need to disable their tracking system."
"How?" Elias asked.
Marcus pointed towards the approaching interceptor.
"Those vessels are using Chronite emitters. If we disrupt the frequency, they'll lose their targeting lock."
"Can we do that?"
"Not with conventional equipment."
Elias looked at the Echo device on his wrist.
The Archivist activated.
"Your Paradox signature may be capable of disrupting the synchronization frequency."
Sola immediately turned towards him.
"No."
Elias looked at her.
"You said we needed to get rid of them."
"I said we needed to survive. I'm not asking you to risk your life before we even reach Antarctica."
"We don't have another option."
"There is always another option."
The aircraft shook again.
The Remnant interceptor moved closer.
Elias closed his eyes and placed his hand against the nearest metal surface.
He reached for the machine's future.
For a moment, he saw the interceptor from several seconds ahead. Its weapons were charging. Its pilot was preparing another attack. The Chronite emitter beneath its frame was about to release a synchronization pulse.
Elias focused on the pulse.
He reached deeper.
The energy pattern appeared before him as a series of intersecting frequencies. He could feel the connection between the vessel and the aircraft, the invisible line its targeting system used to maintain synchronization.
He pulled.
The interceptor's lights flickered.
Its engines lost alignment, and the vessel suddenly dropped several metres before correcting itself. The second interceptor experienced the same disruption.
Both pilots struggled to regain control.
Tomas seized the opportunity.
"Hold on!"
He pushed the engines to maximum output.
The aircraft surged forward, leaving the interceptors behind.
Elias released the metal panel and staggered backwards.
Sola caught him.
"Are you all right?"
He nodded, although his head was pounding.
The Archivist spoke.
"Temporal interference successful. However, the exertion has increased your biological instability."
Elias looked at his hands.
A faint line had appeared along his wrist.
It was thin, almost invisible, but the skin around it had begun to wrinkle.
Flash-aging.
Sola noticed it too.
"Elias..."
He pulled his sleeve over the mark.
"I'm fine."
"You're not."
"I said I'm fine."
She looked at him for a moment before turning away.
Nobody spoke for the remainder of the flight.
By the time they reached the Antarctic region, the world below them had become unrecognizable.
The ocean was covered with enormous ice formations, some stretching for kilometres. Several structures rose from beneath the frozen surface, their towers glowing with the same blue energy Elias had seen during his vision.
The sky was filled with Echo distortions.
At certain points, the clouds appeared to divide into separate layers, revealing different versions of the same landscape. One showed the present Antarctic coastline. Another revealed a future city built across the ice. A third displayed a ruined version of the continent, with enormous metallic structures scattered across its surface.
The aircraft's sensors struggled to identify a stable landing area.
"Where are we supposed to land?" Tomas asked.
The Archivist projected the coordinates.
"Approximately thirty kilometres from the Source Point. The primary access route is located beneath the western ice shelf."
Marcus leaned forward.
"Thirty kilometres? Through that?"
"Correct."
Tomas looked at the instruments.
"I don't think this aircraft is going to make another flight."
Elias stared through the window.
Far in the distance, an enormous structure extended above the ice. Its upper sections were partially hidden by clouds, but the glowing energy lines running across its surface were visible even from their position.
The Grand Sync Engine.
Or at least, the part of it that extended above the surface.
Sola stood beside him.
"That's where everything began."
Elias watched the structure.
"And where we're supposed to end it."
Before she could respond, Anika called from the monitoring station.
"We have another problem."
A large formation appeared on the radar.
It was much bigger than the interceptors they had encountered earlier. Its energy signature was several times stronger than anything recorded in the region.
The Archivist identified it.
"Remnant command carrier detected."
Marcus looked at the screen.
"How far?"
"Approximately twelve kilometres. Its current trajectory indicates an interception course."
Tomas shook his head.
"They're not even trying to hide anymore."
A second alert appeared.
This time, the signal came from another direction.
Sola recognized the identification code.
"DTS."
Elias looked at her.
"Vane?"
The Archivist confirmed it.
"Department of Temporal Sovereignty carrier detected. Multiple Echo Hunter units are onboard."
For a moment, nobody spoke.
The Remnants were ahead of them, approaching from the east. The DTS forces were closing from the north. The Underground aircraft was caught between two factions, both of which wanted control of the same person.
Elias.
Marcus looked towards him.
"Looks like everyone wants to meet you."
Elias gave a tired smile.
"Should I be flattered?"
"Not particularly."
The aircraft began descending towards the nearest stable patch of ice.
Tomas's voice came through the cabin.
"We're landing. Everyone prepare for impact."
The vessel struck the frozen surface hard, skidded across the ice, and finally came to a stop near a large rock formation. Smoke rose from the damaged engine housing.
Marcus immediately opened the rear hatch.
"Move! We have to get off this thing!"
The crew hurried outside, carrying their equipment and emergency supplies. Behind them, the aircraft's engines began shutting down permanently.
Elias stepped onto the Antarctic ice.
The wind struck his face immediately.
For several seconds, he stood still, staring at the enormous structure in the distance.
He could feel it.
A faint vibration travelled through the ground, moving through his boots and into his body. His Echo device began glowing, responding to something buried beneath the ice.
The Archivist activated.
"Source Point proximity confirmed."
Sola approached him.
"We're close."
Elias looked towards the horizon.
"How close?"
The Archivist displayed a final measurement.
"Approximately thirty kilometres."
A distant explosion illuminated the clouds.
The Remnant command carrier had entered the region.
Behind it, the DTS vessel emerged through an Echo fracture, accompanied by several smaller military transports.
The two factions were approaching from opposite directions.
And Elias was standing between them.
Sola tightened her grip on her weapon.
"We need to reach the Engine before either side gets here."
Elias looked down at the glowing device on his wrist.
"Then let's stop wasting time."
He started walking.
The others followed.
Above them, the Antarctic sky split open, revealing an enormous future structure suspended beyond the clouds. Its lights pulsed in a slow, rhythmic pattern, almost like a heartbeat.
The Grand Sync Engine was awake.
And it knew its final component was coming.