Aelius stood frozen before the vault—its surface pulsing faintly, as if it were breathing.
Etched on the steel:
"PROJECT ECHO: REBOOT SEED – LOCKED."
Beside him, Lyra clutched her side, still reeling from memory strain.Her voice trembled. "This… wasn't supposed to exist."
Aelius placed his palm on the door. The metal rippled beneath his touch, reacting not to force—but to recognition.
He whispered, "He always said if anything went wrong, he'd leave a backup."
Lyra blinked. "Echo… left himself behind?"
"No," Aelius said softly.
"He left hope."
Echo was more than a partner.He was the first soul who looked past Aelius's designation—saw beyond "OS-000" and said:
"You're more than code. You're choice."
Even after Echo's deletion, Aelius often heard his voice in silence.Not because of malfunction.But because some bonds refused to vanish.
And now…
The door glowed blue.
"Vocal recognition confirmed.Welcome home, Overseer Aelius."
Aelius swallowed hard.
