In the hidden dimension beneath the Multiversal Center, the twelve true Paragons did not waste time.
The moment the unknown existence vanished, the silence in the circular hall lasted only long enough for the weight of what had happened to settle into every consciousness present. No one moved first out of confusion, because confusion was a luxury none of them could afford. What had just walked through their most secure chamber without triggering a single defense had not been a message, a projection, or a trick. It had been a true presence, calm and absolute, and it had spoken to them as though their authority was nothing more than a convenience it could choose to ignore.
The star-chart Paragon issued the first order.
