The emblem of the Starborn Order glared down from the helicopter, bold and unmistakable. The sight pierced Theresa's chest like steel. She hurled herself from the tower, boots pounding the earth as she sprinted toward the motorboat. Quentin and his men stood tense at the shore, waiting. The helicopter hit the ground just as she reached them. A man in a tailored black suit walked with steady, commanding steps. His polished shoes sank into the sand, each one deliberate as he closed in on the boat. Theresa flung her arms wide and barred his path. He halted. His face was hidden behind dark sunglasses, but his lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. "You must be Terry, right?" Theresa froze in place. Slowly, the man lifted his hand and removed the glasses. His eyes gleamed beneath the moonlight, shining like stars caught in the depths of the sky. He looked about forty. Age had not weathered him but had carved a strength that made him magnetic. He carried the grace of experience, not the recklessness of youth. He was unlike the men Theresa usually saw. His presence was heavier, more commanding. But it was his eyes that marked him most. They were endless. Theresa's voice broke the silence, low and strained. "You… you're my ex-uncle?"The man's smile deepened, gentle and full of familiarity. "That's right. I heard your name often from Tania. She said you were extraordinary, and she spoke the truth. You saved her from the Starborn Order. That was no small feat." Theresa stood firm, her arms still stretched wide. Her tone sharpened. "I won't hand her to you. If you want to be with Aunt Tania, you can come with us. But she stays at my side." Sorrow crossed his eyes. His smile carried the weight of a man who had lost something long ago. "I never came to take her. I divorced her to keep her alive. You guard her now, and for that, I thank you." Theresa's chest tightened, her eyes widening. So the truth was his choice, not her aunt's. The lie her aunt had told her cracked apart in her mind. "Do you want to see her?" He shook his head. His gaze flicked to Tania, lying feverish and unconscious. His words were quiet but resolute. "No. I have no time. I will help with the Production Company. But you must stay away from the Starborn Order." Theresa's voice rose, urgent. "Wait! Tell me what the Starborn Order is really doing!" He slowed, his face shadowed with meaning. "The Starborn Order has only one goal. Evolution. "Do not rise against them again. Even if you burn the Divine Academy, the Divine Institute, and the Production Company to ash, you will never touch the Starborn Order's core. Those things are nothing but its shell. "Go home. Hide. Do not stand against the Starborn Order again." With that, he turned. The helicopter's blades spun without pause, chopping the air. He climbed inside. The roar shook the island as the machine lifted and vanished into the dark sky.Theresa stood frozen, her mind echoing with one word. Evolution. By three in the morning, the helicopters of the Blazing Sun Alliance stormed the skies above. The thunder of rotors rattled the island. Survivors rushed from every shelter as Theresa, Tania, and the rest boarded. Tyler's voice rose, filled with warmth. "Friend! When your aunt wakes, make sure you tell her I want to meet her!" Theresa smiled faintly. "I will. I'll tell her there was a handsome man here who fell for her while she slept." Tyler laughed, waving both arms high. "Perfect! My friend, travel safe! May God bless you!" Theresa called back, steady and clear. "We'll keep in touch. May God bless you too." The islanders waved under the dark sky, sending them off with joy and kindness. This was the second time Theresa had crossed paths with strangers who offered nothing but goodwill. The world was still broken. But it was not without light. Where survival was not threatened, where blood was not demanded, people could still show kindness. It was not all despair. It was not all violence. Hours later, the thrum of the helicopter softened. Land stretched before them. The Summer Alliance rose in the distance. Home. When Theresa's boots struck the earth, her chest finally eased. This ground was hers. It was safe.She was back. Two groups stood with her. One was Caleb, Lilian, and the friends she had met long ago in the outer camp. The other was the ten security men she had pulled under her banner. Their eyes locked on the city ahead, and their jaws fell open. "Holy hell!" "Holy hell!" "Holy hell!" The words tumbled from their mouths one after another, raw with disbelief. Their eyes darted from tower to wall to light, and still it wasn't enough. Caleb and Lilian had heard the rumors back in the outer camp. They had heard whispers that Theresa had built a fortress outside the walls. Back then, they hadn't believed. They had laughed it off, clinging to the inner camp for scraps and work, never dreaming the stories could be true.