Interior of the rescue ship. Medical bay.

  Maria’s eyes slowly open. The soft blue glow inside the capsule fades. She takes a deep breath, pushes the lid open, and rises—slightly unsteady, but with a clear gaze that signals her return to reality.

  Control deck.

  Captain Manuel and engineer Pietro are focused on the navigation panel. Indicators flash, screens reflect streams of data. A coordinated dance of two professionals. Everything feels routine and calm.

  Quietly, almost soundlessly, Maria appears on the deck. She stands behind them, a faint smile on her lips. She watches her friends’ movements closely, as if afraid to interrupt the harmony of the moment.

  Pietro suddenly turns around, as though he senses her presence.

  — Maria?! — his eyes widen. He instantly jumps to his feet, closes the distance in two steps, and embraces her tightly, gently, as if her body were fragile. — How? How is this possible?.. Are you alright?

  — Perfectly fine, — she replies cheerfully, returning the hug. — And ready to get back to work.

  Manuel walks over. He looks at her intently, then smiles and pulls her into a warm embrace, like a father who hasn't seen his daughter in a long time. His gesture is full of tenderness, care, and perhaps relief.

  — We’re glad you’re back. — He steps back but keeps his eyes on her, full of genuine interest. — How did you recover so fast? What happened to you? Tell us.

  Maria steps back slightly. Her gaze grows more serious, more introspective. It’s as if she’s battling something within herself.

  — I don’t even know where to begin... — her voice trembles slightly, and she pauses as though searching for the right words. — A solar flare overloaded my systems. I lost consciousness. But while my body was motionless... I felt something. It was like I was close to the god Hanaris. He... he healed me. Completely.

  Manuel steps back, his face twisted in astonishment, a hand instinctively pressed to his chest.

  — Praise be to the god Hanaris, — he says reverently. Pietro repeats after him with quiet respect.

  Maria goes on, her voice now softer, but with a resonance that suggests more than just memory.

  — I had a vision. Vivid. Almost real. I stood in a desert. The sand was warm, not burning. Before me moved countless beings... I knew they were intelligent. But nothing like us. Millions of bodies, all heading in the same direction.

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  She falls silent, lowering her gaze, as if trying to grasp what she saw.

  — I... walked with them.

  Silence fills the deck, heavy and solemn, as if they’ve all stepped into her vision. No one interrupts. Each of them senses that this was more than just recovery. This was something deeper. A sign.

  — But then they were met by a creature. Enormous. With a flaming sword. — She pauses, and Pietro and Manuel stare at her, as if she’s become something unknown. A flicker of unease passes through their eyes.

  — It blocked the path... and said:

  Maria slowly lifts her head, her eyes locking with theirs.

  — “All who do not obey the will of the god Kairus must die.”

  Her voice barely shifts, but the words fill the air like venom.

  — It… slaughtered them all. Every single one.

  Another silence. Heavy. Manuel and Pietro say nothing, each lost in their own thoughts. Prisoners of an encounter with something beyond understanding.

  — The will of the god Kairus?.. — Manuel repeats slowly, his voice trembling with uncertainty.

  — Yes, — Maria confirms, her gaze cold, her tone carrying both fear and acceptance. — Now I know: Kairus is real. He’s come into our world. He punishes those who refuse his faith.

  She pulls out a pendant from around her neck, clutches it in her hand, and shows it to them. It glows faintly in the dim light of the deck.

  — Here. This symbol was engraved on the sword’s hilt.

  — The same one as on the amulet we sold to Ivor, — Pietro murmurs, his eyes narrowing with suspicion as he examines it.

  Manuel frowns. Pietro presses his lips into a tight line.

  — So faith in Kairus is spreading across Earth just as fast as belief in Hanaris, — Maria continues. — But you know what’s strange? I think I understand Kairus’s faith more than ours.

  — What do we even know about Hanaris? — she adds. — We’re told those saved in Osari will be reborn... But when? How? Has anyone seen it?

  — Yeah, this is all... pretty strange, — Manuel agrees, rubbing his chin. — Maybe we’ve all been led by the nose.

  — I know what we have to do, — says Pietro firmly. — We’ll ask Hanaris these questions. I’ll take care of it.

  — I’ll help you, — Maria adds just as firmly, her voice resolute.

  Manuel rolls his eyes, a weary smirk tugging at his lips.

  — Of course you will… You’ll talk to the god Hanaris, and I’m left doing all the shipwork. Alone.

  Pietro claps him on the shoulder with a smile.

  — Don’t be mad, captain. I promise: we’ll talk to god strictly after our shifts.

  Manuel snorts, doesn’t reply immediately. But after a second, his face softens and he steps back, smiling slightly.

  — Alright, deal. But if you skip your watches — I’ll go talk to some god myself. Very personally.

  They exchange looks, and for the first time since Maria’s awakening, laughter echoes in the deck. Not forced or desperate — but genuine, freeing them from the weight of recent events.