EPISODE 7: THE LONG NIGHT ## CHAPTER 1: THE AFTERMATH The surface burned for months. Observation systems showed a world transformed—continents scoured by fire, oceans choked with debris, an atmosphere so thick with dust that sunlight couldn't penetrate. The impact winter had begun, temperatures plummeting across the globe as the sun became a dim memory behind clouds of ash. In the deep, humanity mourned and adapted. Sarah found herself in an unexpected role—counselor to the grieving, guide to those struggling to process what they had witnessed. Her Level Two connection gave her access to emotional currents flowing through the network, allowing her to sense who needed support before they even asked. "I keep thinking about everyone we left behind," a young man named David confessed during one of their sessions. "My parents chose Level One. They're in a different habitat now—we can communicate, but it's not the same. And my grandmother... she stayed on the surface." "How do you feel about her choice?" "I don't know. Angry, maybe? Like she abandoned us. But also proud, in a weird way. She knew what she was choosing. She faced it without flinching." "Courage takes many forms. Staying on the surface was brave, in its own way. So was choosing to descend." "Is it courage if you're terrified the whole time?" "Especially...