Chapter 2595: Story 2596: The Black Frontier

The gateway to the Black Frontier expanded across the heavens.

Millions of crimson lights moved within the darkness.

Each one belonged to a different world.

Victoria Kane stood before the Heart of Harmony, Dawnblade blazing in her hand.

Nox’Rath stared into the gateway.

"They’re closer than I thought."

Cole checked his rifle.

"How many?"

Nox’Rath shook his head.

"Enough to overwhelm every world connected to Asterion."

Evelyn opened Elias Crow’s journal.

New words appeared.

The Black Frontier was created by civilizations that feared freedom.

Another sentence formed.

They surrendered their choices willingly.

Lyra looked toward the gateway.

"Then why are they attacking us?"

The Empress answered quietly.

"Because they believe freedom is contagious."

Victoria looked at her.

"Then we have to show them what it really is."

Suddenly, the first black world crossed the gateway.

A colossal planet appeared above Asterion.

Its surface was covered with endless cities.

Every building was identical.

Every street was perfectly straight.

Millions of citizens moved at exactly the same time.

No one spoke.

No one stopped.

No one looked toward the sky.

Cole frowned.

"That’s disturbing."

Evelyn nodded.

"They’ve removed individuality completely."

A second world emerged.

Then a third.

Soon the heavens were filled with black planets.

The Architect’s voice echoed from the ruined fortress.

"These worlds chose certainty."

Victoria looked upward.

"And now you want them to choose for everyone else."

"They understand the cost of freedom."

The Empress stepped forward.

"No."

She looked toward the worlds.

"They understand the cost of obedience."

The Architect’s crimson eye burned brighter.

"You were my greatest creation."

The Empress raised her hand.

"And now I’m my own."

The ruined fortress exploded.

A massive crimson figure emerged from its remains.

It was humanoid, but impossibly large.

Its body was covered in mechanical armor.

Its face was hidden behind a silver mask.

The Architect had taken physical form.

Victoria raised the Dawnblade.

"Everyone, prepare!"

The ancient guardians formed a defensive line.

Arkon raised his sword.

Seraphine prepared her crystal bowl.

Thalen drew his bow.

Ordan planted his shield.

Elara vanished.

Malachor watched the enemy.

The First Hunger stepped forward.

"I have fought beings like this before."

Victoria looked at it.

"Can we defeat him?"

The First Hunger shook its head.

"No."

"Then what can we do?"

"Make him choose."

The Architect attacked.

A crimson shockwave crossed Asterion.

Ordan’s shield cracked.

Arkon was thrown backward.

Victoria flew through the air and crashed into the palace steps.

Lyra rushed toward her.

"Victoria!"

Victoria stood slowly.

"I’m fine."

She looked at the Architect.

"He’s stronger than the Dominion."

Nox’Rath landed beside her.

"Because he isn’t powered by the Dominion."

He pointed toward the black worlds.

"He’s powered by their belief."

Victoria understood.

"Then we need to change the belief."

Across Asterion, the citizens raised their lights.

Golden sparks flew toward the black worlds.

The people there looked upward.

For the first time, they saw something they had never seen before.

A choice.

A woman on one world stepped outside her assigned path.

A child refused an order.

A soldier lowered his weapon.

A scientist shut down a control machine.

One by one, small acts of freedom spread across the Black Frontier.

The Architect screamed.

"STOP!"

Victoria smiled.

"It’s too late."

The black worlds began glowing.

Cracks appeared across their crimson symbols.

The Empress lifted both hands.

"I choose freedom."

Her voice echoed across every world.

Then millions of voices answered.

"We choose."

The Architect staggered.

"No!"

Its armor began breaking apart.

But beneath it was not a machine.

It was a small, frightened human figure.

Victoria stared.

"You were afraid."

The figure looked at her.

"I was terrified."

"Of what?"

"Of what people would do if they were free."

Victoria lowered her blade.

"And now?"

The figure looked toward the awakening worlds.

"I don’t know."

Victoria smiled.

"Good."

The transformed Dawnblade glowed.

"Not knowing is where choice begins."

The Architect looked toward the endless stars.

Then, slowly, it removed its silver mask.

"I choose to learn."

The crimson symbols across the Black Frontier vanished.

The black worlds began changing.

Their cities became different.

Their people began speaking.

Music filled the skies.

But far beyond the final world, a colossal shadow appeared.

Nox’Rath suddenly froze.

Victoria turned.

"What is it?"

He whispered,

"The Black Frontier was never the enemy."

The shadow opened thousands of eyes.

"It was a barrier."

Victoria tightened her grip.

"Barrier against what?"

The answer came from the darkness.

"The Hunger Beyond Worlds."

And something enormous began crossing the edge of creation.