The shimmer of the Weavers' exit tapestry faded behind Elena, sealing her escape just as the Alpha units burst into their inner sanctum. The air crackled with the raw power of ancient knowledge clashing with cold, precise technology. She heard the sounds of a desperate, uneven fight, a silent prayer forming on her lips for the courageous old woman and the other Weavers.
She ran through a series of forgotten service tunnels, the Eclipse Codex clutched tight. Her only comfort was the subtle, guiding hum from the book, a faint warmth that seemed to react to the echoes of Kiran's rage she'd felt, a shared resilience. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows ahead, moving with surprising agility for such an old place. It was a young Weaver, perhaps in their late teens, face smudged with dust but eyes burning with a fierce determination.
"They're coming fast," the Weaver whispered, their voice urgent, surprisingly clear. "My name is Lyra. The elder told me to find you. The patterns are breaking. We must take the book to 'The Nexus' – a place outside their sight. It can help you understand." Lyra didn't ask questions; she simply moved, her knowledge of the hidden ways of the city's underbelly astonishing.
As they moved, Lyra quickly explained more about the Weavers, their centuries-long vigil over the Veil, and their own limited understanding of the Eclipse Codex. "It is a record of creation and undoing," Lyra explained, her voice low. "Not to be read like a book, but... felt. Understood through resonance. The 'seed' in your friend, Code X, and the 'anchor' in your brother, they are both parts of the pattern. The Codex shows how they connect, and how to unravel Koval's twisted work." Elena listened, her mind racing. The book wasn't just history; it was a blueprint. And with Lyra's help, perhaps she could finally begin to piece it together, and find a way to reach Kiran before it was too late.