Rosewood Academy – Bordeaux, France
The soft scent of rain lingered in the air as Damien stepped off the jet, his coat billowing in the wind like a war banner. The academy's ancient towers loomed in the distance, quiet and proud—unaware that their walls had just witnessed an attempted abduction that could have changed the course of history.
Nyra stood at the gates, arms crossed. "You're late."
Damien smirked. "You didn't leave much for me to clean up."
Nyra's eyes flicked toward the children inside. "They're safe. But they asked about you."
Damien's jaw tensed. He hadn't prepared for this part—the questions, the recognition, the weight of what family meant now.
Inside the academy's secured chamber, Cassian and Elara waited. Twins. Seven years old. Sharp eyes. Curious minds. And unmistakably… Quinton blood.
They stared as Damien entered.
"You're... our uncle?" Elara asked cautiously, her head tilted.
Cassian folded his arms. "You look scary."
Damien knelt to their level. "I'm Damien. And I promise—no one's going to hurt you again."
A beat passed. Then Elara ran forward and hugged him without a word. Cassian took a little longer—but when he stepped in, Damien felt something shift. A resolve he didn't know he needed.
---
Marrakesh, Morocco – Inside The House of Falcons
Far across the globe, Nora entered a sandstone fortress carved into the cliffs outside Marrakesh. Riven Talos stood waiting, his features shadowed beneath a palm tree. He handed her a rusted pendant.
"This belonged to your father," he said. "He gave it to me the day before the Oslo explosion."
Nora traced the engraving—an ancient Tavaran crest only nobility would know.
"My father was a diplomat," she said. "He wouldn't have kept this unless—"
"He wasn't a diplomat," Riven cut in. "He was one of the founding members of Revenant's original core. Before Archer infiltrated and dismantled it."
Nora's stomach dropped. "Then why fake his death?"
"To protect you. To bury the bloodline."
Riven pulled out a data crystal. "This holds the location of the Vault of Eos. Your father left it behind. Whatever's in it… Archer's willing to burn the world to reach it."
---
Location: Tavara – Parliament Hall, Capital City
In the heart of Tavara, a new summit was convening. The Global Tech & Defense Unity Forum—a veiled attempt to consolidate power across sovereign borders under a single command system. Countries like Russia, Brazil, and China had sent observers. The US and UK were sending military liaisons. Africa's leaders had split on attendance—some suspicious, others desperate for new alliances.
Damien entered the Parliament's inner chamber flanked by Revenant, Nyra, and a new face—Adrian Cade, Damien's cousin, a cybersecurity genius and AI strategist who'd spent the last decade off-grid in Iceland.
"This isn't diplomacy," Adrian said, scanning the speakers. "This is a trap."
Damien's eyes narrowed. "Then let's spring it before they do."
Eclipse BioFacility – Siberia, Russia
Deep beneath frozen tundra, Archer stood before a massive cryo-vault. Behind the glass were multiple bio-engineered hosts—clones of past Revenant leaders, enhanced for psychological warfare.
Cassandra approached with a worried look. "They've reunited. The twins, Nora, even Adrian."
Archer didn't look away. "Let them. Because we're no longer after the legacy."
He turned to Cassandra.
"We're after the soul."
Rosewood Academy – Secret Wing
As the children slept, Damien walked the halls alone. He stopped at a dusty painting of his sister, Sienna—before she vanished. Her smile was distant, almost prophetic.
Nora joined him, holding the pendant from Marrakesh.
"Our families are deeper in this than we ever thought," she whispered. "My father. Your sister. Revenant's core... it started with them."
Damien stared at the flames flickering in the fireplace. "We thought we were fighting for the future. Turns out, we've been carrying the past."
Nora leaned into him. "Then maybe we change both."
He nodded.
And as the firelight danced across their shadows, Damien whispered a vow—to protect what was his, no matter the cost.