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    Chapter 33: The Final Step


    Zak Carter stood at the threshold of creation and destruction.


    The Banished Ones surrounded him, their forms shifting like liquid light, their presence pulling at the edges of his consciousness.


    "You are the key, Zak Carter. The Architects sought to lock us away, but you… you have freed us."


    Their voices were neither pleading nor demanding. They were certain.


    Zak’s mind reeled as the pieces clicked together.


    The QSE wasn’t just a machine.The harmonic frequencies weren’t just scientific anomalies.The Antiquus Porta wasn’t just a gateway.


    It was a reset switch.


    And he had just turned it on.


    EOSA’s Last Warning


    Dr. Raines watched helplessly as the anomaly continued to expand.


    The event horizon now stretched past Mars’ orbit.


    Every deep-space satellite scrambled to process the data.


    And then—


    Voyager 1 and 2 sent a final transmission.


    A message in a language no one on Earth could fully understand.


    A warning.


    One of the engineers paled.


    “Oh my God…”


    Raines turned sharply. “What is it?”


    The engineer slowly turned to face him.


    “The message from deep space… it’s not just a warning.”


    Raines’ stomach tightened. “Then what is it?”


    The engineer’s voice shook.


    “It’s a question.”


    Raines felt a chill run down his spine.


    “What question?”


    The engineer hesitated before answering.


    "Who let them out?"


    Raines’ pulse pounded.


    The galaxy knew.


    Someone—or something—was watching.


    And they were terrified.


    The Dominion’s Desperation


    Agent Connors watched the live feeds in horror.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    He had seen war. Genocide. The darkest secrets of the global elite.


    Nothing compared to this.


    “What do we do?” one of the operatives whispered.


    Connors clenched his jaw.


    “There’s only one option left.”


    He turned to the scientist at the terminal.


    “Trigger the fail-safe.”


    The scientist’s eyes widened. “That will destroy everything in the chamber—including Zak.”


    Connors didn’t flinch.


    “That’s the point.”


    A single command.


    A kill-switch designed for one purpose only.


    To erase the QSE.


    Zak’s Decision


    Zak stared into the infinite void unfolding before him.


    The Banished Ones waited.


    Patient. Knowing.


    "You have seen what your world can become. You are no longer bound by its limitations. Step forward, Zak Carter. Step forward and shape the new order."


    Zak’s hands trembled.


    The power was there.


    It would be so easy to let go.


    To leave humanity behind.


    To become something greater.


    Then—


    A single thought cut through the noise.


    His family.


    His wife. His kids.


    The world he was meant to protect.


    Zak clenched his fists.


    They lied.


    The Banished Ones didn’t just want freedom.


    They wanted dominion.


    Zak looked at the control panel—at the final override sequence.


    He still had one last move.


    A desperate, reckless, suicidal move.


    The QSE was still tethered to Earth.


    If he triggered a reverse singularity collapse, he might be able to seal the gate.


    But if he failed—


    He wouldn’t just die.


    He’d cease to exist.


    EOSA’s Final Plea


    “Zak, if you can hear us, shut it down.”


    Raines’ voice was raw with desperation.


    EOSA had one final transmission before the anomaly wiped out all communications.


    “Whatever they told you—it’s a lie. You have to stop it.”


    The signal flickered.


    Zak’s hands moved over the console.


    He had seconds.


    One chance.


    And then—


    He made his move.


    The End of Everything


    The QSE’s energy spiked.


    The harmonics collapsed in on themselves.


    Zak overrode the primary failsafe, reversing the energy flow.


    And then—


    The gate imploded.


    A soundless shockwave erupted through the void.


    The Banished Ones screamed.


    For the first time, they looked afraid.


    Zak felt himself breaking apart.


    His body—his mind—his very essence was being pulled into the collapsing singularity.


    He barely had time to whisper a final thought.


    I hope I made the right choice.


    Then—


    Everything went black.


    Aftermath


    The QSE facility was gone.


    Erased.


    The anomaly vanished.


    The sky returned to normal.


    But Zak Carter…


    Was nowhere to be found.


    EOSA confirmed the event was over.


    The Dominion cut all ties.


    And history was rewritten.


    No one would ever know what truly happened.


    Except for one thing.


    The universe remembered.


    And somewhere…


    So did Zak.