“The past still hunts us.A thousand years ter… the chase is not over.”

  The void remained silent.But for Nova Linker, silence no longer applied.

  Since its awakening through the neural link between Master and AIRA-09, the mothership had begun to stir—slowly, deliberately.

  But rebirth never goes unnoticed.

  [Warning: Abnormal waveform detected in shadow frequency][Unregistered surveilnce unit approaching signal radius]

  “We’ve been found, Master,” AIRA said calmly, though her eyes betrayed the tension building beneath her voice.

  Master stepped toward the domed gss, watching the direction AIRA was tracking.

  “…They’re still coming,” he murmured. “Even after a thousand years.”

  The pursuers—remnants of the Divine Order’s elite—had once been pced in temporal stasis, designed to awaken only if any trace of shadow energy re-emerged.

  That trace had just returned.

  A low boom echoed from outside the station.

  AIRA turned sharply.“We’re not combat-ready. Primary weapons are at 43%. I recommend shifting into dimensional yer three.”

  Master nodded once.“Open the shadow path. Just like… before the end.”

  “…Acknowledged.”Her voice trembled—but her hands moved with precision.

  Lines of dark light slithered across the central interface.Nova Linker’s engines flickered and pulsed, preparing to phase through reality itself.

  From behind them, enemy scouts opened fire.A beam of silver-white heat streaked past the starboard wing—barely missing the core control.

  “They’re sniping the bridge,” AIRA reported. “Thermal-mana shells. They’re targeting you.”

  “Activate light distortion mesh. Shift their aim.”

  The ship’s hull shimmered—bck refraction lines coiling like serpents through space.Nova Linker dove deeper, breaching the veil of dimensional yer three.

  Gravity bent.The engine howled.

  But it wasn’t enough.

  Ahead, the Divine Order deployed a trap.

  A grid of glowing Mantra energy spread across the starscape—closing in like a net of judgment.

  Cage of Judgement.A weapon designed specifically to ensnare shadow-born vessels.

  “We won’t make it…”AIRA’s voice cracked. “They’ll seal all escape paths in under 30 seconds!”

  And then—

  BOOM.

  A fsh ruptured the heavens.The cage shattered into molten fragments.

  “What was that—!?”

  AIRA’s eyes widened.External screens dispyed a new figure standing between them and the enemy fleet.

  A woman.In crimson armor.

  Her form pulsed with fme—bzing with Manatech energy.A warrior—reborn in fire.

  “…FIRE,” Master whispered.A name once thought lost.A comrade… perhaps more.

  She turned to the camera—met his gaze.

  No sound.

  But her lips moved:

  “They won’t take you.Not a chance.”

  She spun.A spiral of fme trailed behind her.

  Then she unched—directly into the heart of the pursuing fleet.

  In that instant, Nova Linker pierced the veil.

  The gateway to the third dimension yer opened—just wide enough.

  “Unlocking Manatech protocol… pulling her in!” AIRA cried.

  A burst of shadow energy enveloped Fire’s fading signature—pulling her into the safety of the ship just as the tear closed.

  AIRA’s voice softened.

  “Master… she saved us. Again.”

  He didn’t smile.But he nodded—eyes locked on the lingering trail of fme outside the viewport.

  “…It’s not the full team yet,” he said quietly.“But this… this is the start of hope.”

  This time, the shadows didn’t escape alone.

  They had fire with them.

  And with it—the first light of the rebellion returned.

  Welcome home, Shadow Linker #1.FIRE – The Fme Knight of Shakti War