Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Remnants of a Bygone Era

 The helicopter's rotors hummed a low, steady beat as it cut through the crisp Romanian air, carrying Ethan, Zoe, and the rest of the team away from the smoldering ruins of the Carpathian fortress. The adrenaline from their confrontation with the Mastermindwas slowly wearing off, leaving behind a heavy exhaustion that settled deep in their bones. Ethan sat silently, staring out at the endless stretch of forest below, his mind replaying the events of the last few hours.

The Mastermindwas dead, but their final words still echoed in his thoughts: *The old gods will rise, and when they do, you'll wish you had let me finish!* Despite their victory, a sense of unease lingered in the back of Ethan's mind. They had delayed the inevitable, but for how long? How much time did they really have before the Architect's dark prophecy came true?