Back in the Threshold, the world trembled as the Architects closed in. Other Me and I stood on a plateau of fractured resonance stone, shards of glass trees drifting in a crimson haze. Our combined aura pulsed: silver-blue intertwined with black-gold, forging a resonance neither purely Echo nor purely Source, but born of both.
The lead Architect emerged, form shifting like static, voice resonating within me: "Child of fractured timelines, awaken the core we buried. Prove your worth: align with creation or be consumed by oblivion."
My heart pounded. I pictured Mom and Dad, siblings, Kim, Jake, Julian—waiting. I steeled myself: I would not be consumed. I would protect them, preserve the Network, and understand my true origin. I drew a steadying breath, feeling the Threshold's energy surge into my limbs.
"I stand as both Echo and Source," I declared, voice echoing across void. "I refuse destruction. I embrace protection—for my world and this realm's balance."
