Chapter 2591: Story 2592: The City Beyond the Gate

The crimson portal remained open above Asterion.

Beyond it stood the unfamiliar world.

A black city stretched across the horizon, its towers rising like enormous blades against a blood-red sky.

Victoria Kane stared at it.

"What happened there?"

Evelyn stepped beside her.

"We don’t know."

She opened Elias Crow’s journal.

For several seconds, nothing appeared.

Then black letters slowly formed.

The World of Dominion.

A civilization that chose order over freedom.

Its people surrendered choice to survive.

Lyra’s expression hardened.

"Then why did the portal open?"

Evelyn turned the page.

Another sentence appeared.

Because they have discovered the Free Dawn.

Cole lifted his rifle.

"So they want what we have."

Nox’Rath spread his silver wings.

"Or they want to destroy it."

Victoria looked toward the city.

"Either way, we need answers."

Dawn stepped forward.

"I’ll go with you."

Victoria nodded.

"Everyone stays behind the gate until we know what we’re facing."

Lyra immediately protested.

"No."

Victoria looked at her.

"I am coming."

"You don’t know what’s beyond that portal."

Lyra touched the Heart of Harmony.

"I can feel it."

Victoria’s expression softened.

"What do you feel?"

"Fear."

The city beyond the gate suddenly illuminated.

Thousands of black towers activated at once.

A deep mechanical sound crossed the world.

Then a massive voice spoke.

"KEEPERS OF THE FREE DAWN."

Everyone in Asterion heard it.

"YOU HAVE BEEN OBSERVED."

Victoria stepped forward.

"Show yourself."

The sky above the black city opened.

A colossal figure appeared.

It wore dark armor and a silver mask.

Behind it stood an army of thousands.

Cole whispered,

"That’s a lot of soldiers."

Evelyn corrected him.

"They aren’t soldiers."

She stared through her instruments.

"They’re citizens."

Victoria frowned.

"Citizens?"

The masked figure spoke again.

"We are the Dominion."

The people behind it stood perfectly still.

No fear.

No emotion.

No movement.

Lyra looked horrified.

"They’re controlled."

The figure raised one hand.

Every citizen moved simultaneously.

"We eliminated war."

"Eliminated crime."

"Eliminated betrayal."

"Eliminated suffering."

Victoria’s eyes narrowed.

"By eliminating choice."

The masked figure remained silent.

Then it answered.

"Yes."

The word echoed across the portal.

"Your freedom has already caused instability across countless worlds."

"You have awakened ancient powers."

"You have released forgotten civilizations."

"You have created possibilities that cannot be controlled."

Victoria raised her Dawnblade.

"That’s called living."

The figure looked toward her.

"Living creates pain."

Victoria nodded.

"Sometimes."

"But freedom gives people the chance to choose what they do with that pain."

The figure slowly raised its hand.

Behind it, the black city transformed.

Thousands of screens appeared.

Each displayed images of wars, destruction, famine, and death from across history.

Lyra looked away.

"They’re showing us everything that went wrong."

The figure spoke.

"We chose certainty."

Dawn stepped forward.

"And became prisoners."

The figure’s mask turned toward him.

"You are the Destroyer."

Dawn’s expression changed.

"Not anymore."

"You were created from failure."

"I chose differently."

The figure paused.

Then the city began opening enormous gates.

Victoria tightened her grip.

"What are you doing?"

The masked figure answered.

"Offering your people salvation."

Victoria laughed bitterly.

"By controlling them?"

"By protecting them."

Across Asterion, the citizens began hearing the voice.

"Give us your Dawn."

The Heart of Harmony flickered.

Some citizens stepped toward it.

Others remained still.

Victoria watched them.

She understood the danger.

The Dominion wasn’t attacking Asterion.

It was offering a choice.

And for the first time...

Victoria didn’t know which answer everyone would choose.

Then Lyra stepped forward.

"I choose freedom."

Golden light erupted across the city.

One by one, others followed.

"I choose."

"I choose."

"I choose."

Millions of voices joined together.

The Dominion’s army finally moved.

The masked figure lowered its hand.

"Then you have chosen war."

Victoria raised the Dawnblade.

"No."

She looked toward the black city.

"We chose the right to decide."

The crimson portal widened.

The Dominion army began marching through.

And above their heads...

A second crimson portal opened.

Something far larger was coming behind them.