The moment we emerged from the tunnel, my feet landed upon cold stone.
I immediately turned around.
The portal behind us was already destabilizing. Cracks spread across its surface while waves of soul force surged through the surrounding space. Whatever route Andrea and her people had used clearly wasn’t meant to withstand pursuit from something like Verilux.
"Don’t stop," Andrea said as she moved toward the center of the chamber. "This place is only a relay point."
I finally looked around properly.
The chamber appeared ancient. Massive stone pillars stretched upward while faded runes covered the walls. Entire sections had collapsed long ago and been crudely repaired. Dust covered everything and the soul force lingering in the air felt old.
Near the center of the chamber lay another formation.
Unlike the hidden network beneath Region Three, this one appeared remarkably simple. A large teleportation circle had been engraved directly into the stone floor and dozens of soul crystals sat around its perimeter feeding it power.
The elderly Feran immediately began activating the formation while the silver-eyed woman adjusted several runes around its edge. The tunnel behind us suddenly trembled.
Everyone felt it.
Even through multiple layers of space, Verilux was still trying to follow.
"Hurry," Andrea muttered.
The formation activated. Silver light surged upward and the chamber disappeared.
A moment later the sensation of teleportation washed over us once more. When my vision cleared, I found myself standing beneath an open sky.
For several seconds I simply stared. Not because the place was grand. Because it wasn’t. It was small. Very small compared to everything else I had seen within the Null Realm. Within an instant my perception covered the place.
The entire realm appeared to occupy a floating island suspended within a vast silver mist. Small forests covered portions of the landscape while rivers of soul force flowed through valleys and fields. A settlement occupied the center of the island, consisting of several thousand buildings surrounded by defensive walls and formations.
People moved through the streets. That too humans.
An actual hidden civilization. And judging by the relief appearing on Andrea’s face, safe.
"For now," she added quietly as though reading my thoughts.
I followed her toward the settlement. The people noticed our arrival immediately. Some looked curious. Others looked nervous. A few visibly relaxed after recognizing Andrea.
Nobody seemed particularly surprised to see outsiders. Which told me this wasn’t the first time something like this had happened.
As we walked through the settlement, I noticed something else. Not a single soul carried the Eternal marks I had seen throughout Region Three.
The realization immediately made me more interested. This wasn’t simply a hidden settlement.
This was a free settlement. The streets eventually opened into a large central district where several larger buildings overlooked the rest of the town.
Andrea led us directly toward the largest building.
Guards stood outside. None of them tried stopping us. Instead they immediately opened the doors.
The hall inside appeared simple but sturdy. Large wooden beams supported the ceiling while maps, records and formation diagrams covered many of the walls.
Several people were already waiting. I could easily see there were three groups and three leaders. The moment we entered, all conversation stopped. Their gazes immediately settled upon us.
Andrea walked forward without hesitation.
"We have guests."
One of the leaders snorted.
"I noticed."
The speaker was an older woman with dark silver hair and sharp eyes. Despite appearing calm, she too was a peak transcendent.
Andrea ignored the comment.
"This is Billion."
The room remained silent.
Then she continued.
"Billion Ironhart."
That finally changed things. The three leaders immediately exchanged looks.
The older woman leaned forward slightly.
"Ironhart."
Another leader frowned.
"We don’t see many of those anymore."
The third leader simply studied me quietly.
Andrea gestured toward them.
"Since we’re introducing ourselves properly."
She pointed toward the older woman first.
"Matriarch Seris Haliaka."
The woman gave a small nod.
Next Andrea pointed toward a broad-shouldered man whose soul seemed covered in a lot of scars.
"Commander Varen Hida."
The man folded his arms. Then her hand moved toward the final leader.
A younger woman with silver eyes and long white hair.
"Elder Lyra Silverbane."
The woman smiled faintly. I nodded toward all three. The names meant nothing to me.
The older woman spoke first.
"So."
Her gaze remained fixed on me.
"Which settlement are you from?"
The question caught me slightly off guard.
"Settlement?"
"Don’t tell me the Ironharts finally stopped hiding."
A few people laughed quietly. I shook my head.
"I don’t belong to any settlement."
That immediately caused the room to become quiet again.
Commander Hida frowned.
"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"
"It means exactly what it sounds like."
Before anyone could ask another question, I released the illusion covering my body. The faint ethereal glow surrounding me disappeared. The soul-like appearance vanished.
My real form emerged. For a few seconds nobody reacted. The leaders simply stared. Then every expression in the room changed.
Commander Hida was the first to rise from his chair.
The movement was so sudden that it nearly knocked the chair backward.
Matriarch Haliaka’s eyes widened visibly while Elder Silverbane leaned forward and stared at me as though questioning whether what she was seeing was real.
Even Andrea looked surprised despite having already suspected something unusual about me.
The silence stretched for several moments.
Finally Hida spoke.
"You’re alive."
It wasn’t a question. I nodded. The room immediately erupted into whispers. After everything I had seen inside the Prime Territory, the reaction almost surprised me.
"Impossible," someone muttered from the back of the room.
"No," another voice replied. "Not impossible. Just absurd."
Haliaka slowly leaned back into her chair without taking her eyes off me.
"How long has it been since a living person entered the Prime Territory?"
Nobody answered.
Eventually Silverbane broke the silence.
"Centuries."
Her gaze remained fixed on me.
"Possibly longer."
I folded my arms.
"I’m guessing this isn’t a common occurrence."
Commander Hida laughed.
A short disbelieving laugh.
"Common?" He shook his head. "Most people here would consider it a myth."
A few heads nodded throughout the room.
"Many souls arrive from the Prime Universe every day," Haliaka added. "But they arrive dead. That’s how the system works."
"Yet you’re standing here breathing."
"Which means," Silverbane said quietly, "you crossed over intentionally."
I nodded.
"I did."
That answer generated another wave of whispers.
The three leaders exchanged glances.
Then Hida asked the obvious question.
"Why?"
"I’m looking for people."
The answer earned several skeptical looks.
"That’s a very dangerous journey for a family reunion," Haliaka said.
I smiled slightly.
"What can I do, I am a family man."
That actually earned a few laughs. The tension in the room eased slightly.
Then Silverbane’s expression became thoughtful.
"If you’re truly an Ironhart, then I understand why you’ve managed to survive this long."
My eyes moved toward her.
"What does that mean?"
This time Haliaka answered.
"The same thing it means for our families."
She gestured around the room.
"Haliaka. Hida. Silverbane. Ironhart. Along with dozens of lesser bloodlines."
Her expression darkened slightly.
"We all originate from the original Prime Universe. When the Eternals acquired authority over the Prime Territory, the contracts they obtained granted rights over the souls of the population."