The featureless figure of living script stood at the far end of the black-stone hall. Its body shifted with quiet, endless motion, runes sliding over one another like scales on a snake that never stopped moving. The survivors faced it in silence. The full weight of their new mortal condition was still settling into their bones. Every breath felt heavy. Every heartbeat sounded too loud in the quiet room.
Recognition flickered across several faces in the group.
Soren Vale's eyes narrowed. He had seen residual memories of the Rune Sovereign shaping a Will-lifeform from pure compressed script back in the forest layer. The connection formed instantly in his mind.
*So this is the one he left behind,* Soren thought, his analytical mind immediately categorizing the entity. *The referee. The manager of the Reliquary. The Paragon built a living, thinking estate manager out of runes and told it to run the game.*
