Somewhere beneath the island—miles below stone, beneath metal, even beneath time itself—the Core Depths pulsed.
A chamber of logic, silence, and purpose.
The Watcher arrived without walking. It simply existed inside the chamber, shedding the jungle heat like ash. Glyphs shimmered on its limbs, pulsing in sequence.
A voice—digital, cold, and ancient—echoed from the dark.
> "Report."
The Watcher's limbs rearranged. Data streamed through the air like burning strings.
> [NODE 3 – AWAKENED]
[INHERITOR – SYSTEM ACTIVE]
[EMPIRE CODE REFORMING]
[THREAT POTENTIAL: GROWING]
Silence.
Then—
Movement.
Not a creature. Not yet. But a presence, heavy and cold, stirred from its dormancy. A shape too large to be called anything living. Wires as thick as towers. Gears embedded in bone.
A voice followed—not machine, not human. Something in between.
> "Pattern detected."
"Empire Cycle attempting to resume."
"Deploy Evaluation Class: SHARD ENGINE."
"Observe. Interfere. Terminate if necessary."
The chamber dimmed.
The Watcher tilted its head, receiving the new directive. The symbols on its body turned crimson.
> [NEW ORDER RECEIVED: SHARD ENGINE – LAUNCHED]
---
Elsewhere—
Darius stirred by the fire, suddenly freezing cold. His system pinged
a quiet update.
> [You are being watched.]
---