The boy led them through the settlement, past scorched-out vehicles and makeshift tents lined with glass jars glowing from within. They weren't lights, not exactly. Aria leaned closer to one. It shimmered faintly with a pale blue aura—like cold fire suspended in air.
"She shared her breath with us," the boy said with reverence. "Her voice is in the ice."
Kael's jaw tightened. "This is bad."
"Worse than bad," Rhea muttered. "They've turned a science experiment into a religion."
The settlement opened up to a central dome—partially collapsed, its frame warped with heat. Inside stood a shrine. And at the center of the shrine was a cryo-pod. Empty.
Aria's breath caught. "This is one of ours. From Facility B."
There were carvings in the wall. Not words, but symbols—spirals, fractals, and a repeating image of a girl with frost cascading from her fingertips. Her face was worn with time, but familiar.
Aria touched the edge. "This... this is me."
The air shifted. From the shadows stepped an old woman, face cloaked, eyes sharp. "Welcome home, Ice-Bearer."
Kael drew his weapon. "She's not your savior."
"She is what remained when the others failed," the woman said. "She is our prophecy fulfilled."
Aria stepped forward, heart racing. "I don't want to be your prophecy."
"Then why did you come?" the woman asked, smiling faintly. "Why now?"
Because she needed answers. But what if the answers had turned into myths?