Chapter 105

The warning lingered in Ethan’s consciousness long after the connection disappeared.

If they reach my prison first, something far worse will be released.

He stood before the map of Starfall, examining the network of underground passages recovered from the Seventh Star’s concealed chamber.

The prisoner had warned him about the outer seals.

But he had also implied that releasing him would be more dangerous than awakening the First Witness.

Those two claims did not fit together.

If the seventh guardian had opposed Maelius to prevent the ancient being’s awakening, why would freeing him threaten the kingdom?

Either the prisoner was concealing something, or the histories were even more unreliable than Ethan suspected.

"Ethan?"

Kaelan’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

"You’ve been staring at that map for several minutes."

Ethan looked up.

"The seventh guardian contacted me again."

Lysander immediately straightened.

"What did he say?"

"That the order has discovered the outer seals. If they’re broken, the First Witness will awaken."

Kaelan’s expression darkened.

"And the prisoner?"

"He claims something worse will happen if they reach his chamber."

Lysander frowned.

"Something worse than an ancient creature awakening beneath our capital?"

"Apparently."

"That’s reassuring."

Ethan ignored the sarcasm and pointed toward the recovered map.

"We need to understand what these seals actually do."

Kaelan examined the markings.

"Six outer locations surround the central foundation. Their arrangement resembles the pillars we discovered beneath the council hall."

"And the seventh?" Lysander asked.

"At the center," Ethan answered. "The Chamber of Judgment."

Kaelan slowly nodded.

"Then the outer seals may be connected to the six original guardians."

"Which means the Seventh Star already knows where to find them."

Ethan studied the red lines crossing the map.

The passages formed an enormous network beneath Starfall, extending toward districts built centuries after the original foundation.

Some routes passed beneath government buildings.

Others disappeared beneath old residential quarters.

One extended toward the southern walls.

The scale was troubling.

"If they intend to damage all six seals, they can’t accomplish it from a single location," Ethan said.

Lysander folded his arms.

"Then we divide our soldiers and secure each site."

"No."

The commander looked surprised.

"Why not?"

"Because we don’t know whether the locations marked on this map are accurate. And sending soldiers into every underground passage would alert the order immediately."

Kaelan considered the problem.

"Then we need to identify which seal they’re targeting first."

Ethan nodded.

"And for that, we need Serath."

The keeper arrived shortly afterward, escorted by two guards.

His expression darkened when he saw the map.

"Where did you find that?"

"One of your order’s hidden chambers," Ethan replied.

Serath approached the table.

His eyes moved across the markings.

For several moments, he said nothing.

Then his expression changed.

"These are the outer anchors."

"Anchors?" Kaelan asked.

Serath nodded.

"The First Foundation wasn’t constructed as a single formation. Its safeguards were distributed across several locations. Each outer anchor maintained a portion of the original boundary."

Ethan studied him.

"And if one is destroyed?"

"The remaining anchors compensate."

"If several are destroyed?"

Serath hesitated.

"The pressure upon the surviving formations increases."

"And if all six fail?"

The keeper remained silent.

Ethan’s voice hardened.

"Serath."

"The boundary would collapse."

Lysander glanced toward the map.

"Then your order intends to destroy the very structures that keep the First Witness contained?"

"Not destroy," Serath replied quickly. "Restore their original alignment."

Ethan gave him a cold look.

"You said the same thing about the ritual beneath the council hall."

Serath lowered his gaze.

"That’s what our teachings say."

"And your teachings have already proven unreliable."

The keeper did not argue.

Kaelan pointed toward the six locations.

"Can these anchors be activated remotely?"

"Partially. The Echo Marks can transmit commands through the network, but altering an anchor requires someone to reach its physical formation."

Ethan’s eyes narrowed.

"Then the order needs agents at these locations."

"Yes."

"How many?"

"I don’t know."

Ethan studied Serath for a moment.

The man appeared frightened, but not necessarily dishonest.

"Tell me something else. Does the Chamber of Judgment control the outer anchors?"

Serath shook his head.

"No. The seventh guardian was responsible for judging the covenant’s operation. The other six maintained its boundaries."

"Then why was he imprisoned?"

"Because he attempted to sever the covenant."

Ethan frowned.

"That’s what your records claim."

Serath met his gaze.

"It’s all I know."

Ethan turned toward Lysander.

"Prepare a small team. We’re going to investigate one of the anchors."

"Which one?"

Ethan pointed toward the eastern district.

"The location connected to the storehouse we discovered yesterday."

Lysander nodded.

"And the others?"

"Keep them under observation. No unnecessary movement."

Kaelan looked concerned.

"Should we inform the council?"

"We’ll report what we’ve confirmed. For now, I want the emergency committee reviewing building safety and evacuation routes."

Ethan paused.

"Have Mira oversee those preparations."

Lysander understood immediately.

They were preparing for the possibility that the foundation’s instability could spread beyond the eastern district.

But they would do so without creating panic.

That evening, Ethan returned to the abandoned storehouse.

Lysander accompanied him with four trusted soldiers.

The concealed staircase remained accessible, though the damaged underground chamber had been cleared of debris.

Several Echo Marks recovered during the previous investigation lay sealed inside a wooden box.

Ethan selected one.

Its surface carried the familiar broken-circle symbol.

He extended his spiritual perception.

The artifact responded faintly.

[Ancient Communication Network Detected.]

[Residual Connection Available.]

[Signal Analysis Initiated.]

A thin current passed through his fingers.

The Echo Mark had been disconnected from its previous source, but traces of the original communication pattern remained.

Ethan examined those traces carefully.

The system began separating the irregular fluctuations.

After several moments, a sequence emerged.

Seven pulses.

A brief pause.

Then three more.

Ethan frowned.

A recognition pattern?

He allowed a controlled amount of spiritual energy to flow into the disc, reproducing the sequence.

The artifact warmed.

For several seconds, nothing happened.

Then a faint pulse answered.

Lysander noticed the change.

"Did it work?"

"Someone responded."

"Can you locate them?"

"Possibly."

Ethan concentrated.

The signal traveled through the buried network, passing several inactive formations before reaching a point beneath the old eastern waterworks.

His eyes opened.

"Found something."

Lysander approached.

"Where?"

"The abandoned pumping station near the eastern canal."

The commander frowned.

"That building hasn’t been used for decades."

"Apparently, someone found a new purpose for it."

Ethan returned the disc to its container.

"Let’s go."

The old pumping station stood beside a narrow canal, surrounded by warehouses and crumbling stone walls.

Most of its machinery had been removed years earlier.

According to city records, the building was scheduled for demolition after the spring assembly.

Ethan found that detail particularly interesting.

A structure marked for demolition would attract fewer questions about unusual deliveries or construction work.

Lysander signaled his soldiers to surround the entrance.

Ethan extended his senses.

Three life signatures appeared beneath the building.

Two were moving.

The third remained motionless.

There was also a familiar concentration of magical energy.

An outer anchor.

"Three people below," Ethan whispered. "At least two are active."

Lysander drew his sword.

"Enemies?"

"Likely."

They entered through a damaged side door.

The interior smelled of damp stone and rusted metal. Broken pipes lined the walls, while stagnant water collected beneath the remaining machinery.

Near the rear of the building, Ethan discovered a concealed trapdoor.

Fresh scratches marked its hinges.

He gestured toward Lysander.

The commander nodded.

Two soldiers positioned themselves beside the opening.

Ethan lifted the trapdoor.

A narrow staircase descended into darkness.

Voices drifted upward.

"...the third anchor is prepared."

A man was speaking.

Another voice answered.

"The instructions were clear. No activation before the gathering."

"And if the king discovers the preparations?"

"Then we move the schedule forward."

Ethan’s expression hardened.

He descended silently.

The staircase ended in a circular chamber.

Two men stood beside a stone pillar covered in ancient inscriptions.

Both wore ordinary worker’s clothing.

A third man lay unconscious nearby, his hands bound behind his back.

Several metal tools and ritual instruments surrounded the pillar.

At its center, an Echo Mark had been embedded directly into the stone.

Ethan stepped into the chamber.

"Preparing for the gathering?"

The two men froze.

One immediately reached toward the pillar.

Ethan moved first.

A thin stream of spiritual energy struck the man’s wrist, forcing his hand away.

The second man drew a concealed dagger.

Lysander appeared behind Ethan.

"Drop it."

The man hesitated.

Then lunged.

Lysander struck his arm with the flat of his blade, disarming him before forcing him to the ground.

The first man attempted to flee.

Ethan raised his hand.

An invisible pressure pinned him against the wall.

Neither struggle lasted more than a few seconds.

Lysander approached the captives.

"That was disappointing."

Ethan ignored him and examined the pillar.

Its surface carried the same ancient markings as those beneath the First Foundation.

But several additional symbols had been carved around its base.

The modifications were recent.

He extended his perception.

[Outer Foundation Anchor Detected.]

[Structural Integrity: Stable.]

[Unauthorized Formation Modification Identified.]

[Remote Activation Mechanism: Armed.]

Ethan’s expression darkened.

The anchor had not been damaged.

It had been prepared for destruction.

He examined the embedded Echo Mark.

A concentrated surge of energy through the communication network could overload the modified formation, causing the anchor to collapse.

And the agents would not even need to remain nearby.

"They’re turning the anchors into traps," Ethan said.

Lysander looked toward him.

"Can you disable it?"

"Yes. But carefully."

Ethan placed his palm against the pillar.

His spiritual energy moved through the altered inscriptions, separating the original formation from the newly added pathways.

The process required precision.

Destroying the Echo Mark directly might trigger the mechanism.

Instead, he gradually isolated its energy supply.

Several symbols flickered.

The stone trembled.

Then the unnatural markings faded.

[Remote Activation Mechanism Disabled.]

[Outer Anchor Integrity: Preserved.]

Ethan withdrew his hand.

Lysander exhaled.

"One less problem."

"One of six," Ethan corrected.

The commander looked toward the prisoners.

"Then perhaps these two can tell us where the others are."

The unconscious worker was alive.

According to the identification papers found among his belongings, he was a municipal engineer assigned to inspect the pumping station before its demolition.

The order’s agents had apparently captured him after he discovered their modifications.

Lysander’s soldiers freed him and arranged for his return to the surface.

Meanwhile, Ethan questioned the two captives.

Neither initially cooperated.

But when Ethan displayed the recovered Echo Mark, one of them visibly stiffened.

"You recognized that," Ethan said.

The man remained silent.

"Then you understand your communication network has been compromised."

Still nothing.

Ethan placed the disc on the table.

"Your people are preparing to destroy the outer anchors. I want to know who gave the order."

The second captive laughed bitterly.

"You think stopping one formation matters?"

Ethan turned toward him.

"Enlighten me."

"The gathering is already arranged. Every necessary preparation has been made."

"Then why were you still working?"

The man’s expression changed.

Ethan continued.

"Because the ritual isn’t ready. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been ordered to remain here."

Silence.

"Your leaders need all six anchors prepared before the assembly."

The captive looked away.

That was confirmation enough.

Ethan leaned forward.

"Who commands the operation?"

The man clenched his jaw.

"I won’t betray the order."

Ethan studied him.

"You’ve already told me more than you realize."

He stood.

"Lysander, take them into custody. Keep them separated and have their belongings examined."

The commander nodded.

As the soldiers escorted the prisoners away, Ethan returned to the pillar.

One anchor had been secured.

But five remained vulnerable.

More importantly, the agents had referred to the eastern site as the third anchor.

That suggested the numbering on their recovered map might not correspond to the order in which the ritual would proceed.

He examined the ancient inscriptions.

Something else caught his attention.

A second pattern lay beneath the recently modified symbols.

It was much older.

And unlike the surrounding carvings, it had not been included in Kaelan’s translations.

Ethan activated the system.

[Ancient Inscription Detected.]

[Partial Translation Available.]

The words appeared slowly.

Six boundaries restrain the sleeping one.

A second line followed.

Seven chains restrain the waking one.

Ethan froze.

The sleeping one.

The waking one.

His thoughts immediately returned to the prisoner beneath the Chamber of Judgment.

The outer anchors maintained the First Witness’s confinement.

But the seven chains maintained another prison.

Two separate systems.

Two separate restraints.

And possibly two separate dangers.

Ethan’s expression became increasingly grave.

The seventh guardian had warned him that breaking his prison would release something worse.

But what if the guardian himself was the danger?

Before he could examine the inscription further, the system reacted.

[Ancient Spiritual Communication Detected.]

[Source: First Foundation.]

[Connection Established.]

Ethan immediately strengthened his defenses.

A familiar heartbeat echoed within his consciousness.

Once.

Then again.

But this time, the presence did not attempt to overwhelm him.

A voice emerged.

Ancient.

Distant.

And unmistakably different from the prisoner’s.

You have repaired one of the boundaries.

Ethan remained motionless.

The First Witness.

It was speaking to him again.

"Who are you?" he asked silently.

The answer came after a long pause.

The one who remembers.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed.

The inscription beneath the seventh pillar had used those exact words.

The seventh shall be recognized by the one who remembers.

He recalled the prisoner’s warnings.

The contradictory histories.

The missing records of Maelius’s final years.

And the two ancient presences beneath Starfall.

"What happened here?" Ethan asked.

The heartbeat slowed.

For several moments, the First Witness remained silent.

Then its voice returned.

The seventh was not imprisoned for opposing the covenant.

Ethan’s expression changed.

"Then why?"

A tremendous pressure stirred deep beneath the foundation.

The ancient voice answered.

Because he tried to take my place.

The connection vanished.

Ethan stood motionless before the pillar.

For the first time, he understood that Maelius’s history might conceal something far more dangerous than a failed covenant.

The prisoner had claimed he was punished for trying to save the world.

The First Witness claimed he had attempted to replace it.

And somewhere between those two stories lay the truth.

Ethan slowly raised his head.

The spring assembly was approaching.

Five outer anchors remained vulnerable.

And the Seventh Star was preparing to release a prisoner whose true intentions were still unknown.

He looked toward the staircase.

"Lysander!"

The commander appeared moments later.

"What happened?"

Ethan turned toward him.

"We need Kaelan to examine the oldest records again."

"Why?"

"Because I think we’ve been asking the wrong question."

Lysander frowned.

"What question?"

Ethan glanced toward the ancient pillar.

"We’ve been trying to understand why Maelius imprisoned the seventh guardian."

He paused.

"But perhaps we should be asking what the seventh guardian was trying to become."

Deep beneath Starfall, the crimson-eyed prisoner suddenly opened his eyes.

He had sensed the First Witness’s communication.

His expression twisted.

"So..."

A low laugh escaped his lips.

"You finally decided to speak."

The ancient chains trembled.

One of the cracks widened.

The prisoner lowered his head and smiled.

"Then I suppose our little reunion is drawing closer."

And somewhere within the First Foundation, the ancient heartbeat answered.