🌑 Episode 55
The Creator's Welcome
⚠️ WARNING! ENGINE FAILURE!
The helicopter spun wildly through the storm.
Smoke filled the cabin.
The alarm refused to stop.
Ryan grabbed Ariba's arm.
"Hold on!"
Commander Elena fought desperately to stabilize the aircraft.
"I can't control it!"
Victor shouted,
"Brace for impact!"
The helicopter clipped the tops of giant trees before crashing into the dense forest.
💥 CRAAASH!
Silence.
Only the sound of rain falling on broken metal.
Ariba slowly opened her eyes.
Her head throbbed.
She looked around.
The helicopter was destroyed.
Ryan was already pulling Lena from the wreckage.
"You okay?"
Lena coughed.
"I'll live."
Victor climbed out through the shattered door, blood running down one arm.
"Everyone accounted for?"
Commander Elena emerged last.
"We were lucky."
Ryan looked at the burning wreck.
"No..."
"Someone wanted us alive."
Ariba remembered the Founder's last message.
"Once you land... there will be no way back."
She looked deeper into the jungle.
The forest was unnaturally quiet.
No birds.
No insects.
Nothing.
Then—
A loud horn echoed across the island.
The ground began to tremble.
Lena checked her scanner.
"There are energy readings everywhere."
Victor pointed toward the trees.
"We're not alone."
Several dark figures slowly stepped out of the shadows.
They wore black tactical armor with silver phoenix emblems.
But none of them raised their weapons.
Instead—
They stepped aside.
Creating a path through the jungle.
Ryan whispered,
"This feels wrong."
Commander Elena nodded.
"They're guiding us."
Ariba stepped forward.
"No."
"They're welcoming us."
At the end of the path stood a massive stone gate covered in ancient symbols.
As Ariba approached—
The gate slowly opened by itself.
Beyond it—
An enormous hidden city appeared beneath the island.
Towering laboratories.
Ancient ruins.
Advanced technology.
Everything existed together.
Lena gasped.
"This place..."
"It's centuries old."
Victor couldn't believe his eyes.
"So Phoenix didn't build this..."
"They found it."
A calm voice echoed across the valley.
"Correct."
Everyone looked up.
Standing on a high balcony overlooking the hidden city—
A tall man dressed in white watched them.
Unlike the Founder...
He carried no weapon.
His expression was peaceful.
Yet his presence felt overwhelming.
Ariba instinctively knew.
Her heartbeat quickened.
Ryan whispered,
"Is that..."
Commander Elena lowered her head.
"Yes."
"The Creator."
The man smiled gently.
"Welcome home..."
"...Ariba."
The entire hidden city suddenly lit up.
Thousands of lights illuminated the ancient structures.
Then—
The Creator raised one hand.
"Come."
"I've been waiting for you..."
"...for seventeen years."
Ariba took one slow step forward.
This time—
There was no fear in her eyes.
Only one question.
"Why me?"
The Creator smiled.
"You were never meant to save the world..."
A long silence followed.
"You were meant to remake it."
To Be Continued…
💬 Comment & Earn Coins! 🪙
What do you think the Creator really wants from Ariba?
A) Make her the new leader of Phoenix
B) Reveal the final truth
C) Use her powers to reshape the world
D) He's hiding an even bigger secret
👇 **Comment A, B, C, or D below, and don't forget to send your Power Stones! 💎