"They're preparing for something," Ithor said, his voice tight with tension. "Something beyond just monitoring these Dead Zones."
The group's leader, a tall human with a commanding presence, began issuing instructions to the others, pointing in various directions and consulting what appeared to be a map. Though they couldn't hear the specific words at this distance, the intent was clear — they were discussing deployment plans, coordinating some kind of operation.
"We need to know what they're planning," Karel decided, his expression resolute. "And we need to disable that fragment if possible. It's creating instability in the Dome that goes beyond the natural cycle."
"Agreed," Ithor said immediately, already assessing the tactical situation. "But there are five of them, all armed and clearly experienced. A direct confrontation would be risky."
"Perhaps we don't need to confront them directly," Merial suggested, an idea forming as she studied the corrupted runic patterns swirling around the fragment. "If I can understand the communication patterns correctly, I might be able to disrupt them — essentially creating interference that would render the fragment ineffective."
Karel looked at her with interest. "You can do that? Manipulate the runic patterns from here?"
"I think so," Merial said, though with less certainty than she would have liked. "My ability to perceive these patterns has always included a component of interaction — I can sometimes influence how they form and dissolve. I've never tried it on this scale, but the principle should be the same."
"It's worth attempting," Karel decided after a moment's consideration. "If it works, we disable the fragment without revealing our presence. If not, we still have the option of more direct intervention."
Merial nodded, already focusing her concentration on the swirling patterns visible only to her specialized perception. She had spent years studying these corrupted runes, learning their structures and relationships, developing theories about their meaning and purpose. Now, for the first time, she would attempt to actively manipulate them rather than merely observe and record.
It was delicate work, requiring intense concentration and a level of intuitive understanding that went beyond academic knowledge. The patterns were complex, interconnected, constantly shifting in response to both the fragment's energy output and the larger fluctuations in the Dome itself. Finding points of leverage, places where a small change could cascade into larger disruptions, was like solving a multidimensional puzzle while its pieces rearranged themselves.
But gradually, Merial began to make progress. She found a recurring sequence in the patterns, a kind of rhythmic pulse that seemed to coordinate the fragment's communication with others in the network. By introducing subtle variations in this rhythm — essentially creating a countermelody that interfered with the original — she began to disrupt the coherence of the signals.
The effect was visible almost immediately. The blue glow of the fragment flickered, dimmed, then flared erratically as its carefully calibrated output destabilized. The agents in the clearing noticed the change, rushing to their equipment with expressions of alarm and confusion.
"It's working," Karel murmured, his Verithil perception allowing him to see the energy disruptions Merial was causing. "The fragment's connection to the network is failing."
Ithor was watching the agents' reactions with the focused attention of a hunter. "They don't understand what's happening," he reported. "They're checking their equipment, looking for mechanical failures."
Encouraged by this success, Merial intensified her efforts, pushing the disruption deeper into the fragment's communication patterns. It was exhausting work, requiring a level of concentration that left her oblivious to everything except the swirling runes before her mind's eye. But the results were worth the effort — the fragment's glow continued to destabilize, its pulses becoming increasingly erratic and uncoordinated.
And then, suddenly, something unexpected happened. As the fragment's communication patterns approached complete collapse, a new pattern emerged — stronger, more coherent, originating not from the fragment itself but from somewhere beyond it. A direct communication from whatever entity the fragment had been connecting to.
Merial gasped as this new pattern formed in her perception — a message of startling clarity and undeniable intelligence. Not random energy fluctuations or mechanical signals, but actual communication, as deliberate and meaningful as spoken language.
"What is it?" Karel asked, noticing her reaction. "What do you see?"
"A message," Merial replied, her voice distant with concentration. "Direct communication from... from the First, I think. It's responding to the disruption, trying to maintain the connection."
"What does it say?" Ithor pressed, his attention divided between Merial and the increasingly agitated agents in the clearing.
Merial struggled to translate the complex runic patterns into conventional language. "It's... warning them. Telling them that 'the Word has found them, is interfering.' It's instructing them to..." She paused, focusing more intently on the rapidly shifting patterns. "To abandon this node and proceed to the convergence point immediately. The 'final phase' is beginning."
This was alarming information, suggesting both that the First was actively coordinating with the Lady of Shadows' agents and that some culminating event was approaching. But before they could discuss its implications, the situation in the clearing changed dramatically.
The fragment, destabilized beyond recovery by Merial's interference, suddenly flared with blinding blue light. The agents scattered, abandoning their equipment as the artificial Dead Zone began to collapse in on itself, the carefully constructed anomaly transforming into something wild and unpredictable.
"We need to move," Ithor said urgently, already pulling Merial away from her observation point. "When these fragments destabilize completely, they can create explosive discharges of Dome energy."
They retreated rapidly, putting distance between themselves and the collapsing Dead Zone. Behind them, the blue glow intensified, casting long shadows through the forest, and then came a sound like reality itself tearing — a high, keening note that seemed to bypass their ears and resonate directly in their minds.
A shockwave of energy rolled through the forest, knocking them off their feet despite the distance they had managed to put between themselves and the epicenter. Trees swayed, leaves shook loose in swirling clouds, and animals fled in panic from the unnatural disturbance.
When they cautiously returned to their vantage point some time later, the clearing had been transformed. Where the artificial Dead Zone had been, there was now a perfect circle of ash—trees, undergrowth, even the agents' abandoned equipment reduced to fine gray powder. Of the agents themselves, there was no sign, though whether they had escaped or been consumed in the collapse was impossible to determine.
"I've never seen anything like this," Karel said, surveying the destruction with a mixture of awe and concern. "A complete energy discharge, converting all matter within its radius to its constituent elements."
"The fragment was more powerful than I realized," Merial admitted, still shaken by the unexpected outcome of her interference. "And more directly connected to the First.
When I disrupted its communication patterns, it triggered a defensive response — essentially a self-destruct mechanism to prevent further tampering."
Ithor was examining the edge of the ash circle, his expression troubled. "This goes beyond anything Nora showed me three years ago. The Lady of Shadows has escalated her methods, her technology. These fragments aren't just communication devices anymore — they're weapons."
"Weapons that could potentially be used to create controlled breaches in the Dome," Karel added grimly, completing the thought. "If they've placed these at strategic points around Inhevaen, and if they can trigger simultaneous collapses..."
"They could create a cascading failure in the Dome's structure," Merial concluded, the implications becoming horrifyingly clear. "Not waiting for the three of us to make our choice, but forcing the outcome they want — the First's liberation — through direct intervention."
"The message mentioned a 'convergence point' and a 'final phase,'" Ithor reminded them. "I think we can guess where that convergence point is."
"Mount Veridia," Karel confirmed. "Where the Dome's barrier is naturally thinnest, and where the seven streams begin — a place of symbolic and practical significance for any attempt to breach the Dome."
"Then we need to get there first," Merial said, her academic caution now fully replaced by urgent determination. "Before they can implement whatever 'final phase' they're planning."