The system did not force Aurelion to make a choice right away. That was the first thing he understood as he watched the new presence remain at the boundary. It stayed in place without pushing forward or pulling back. It did not try to change the structure between them. It simply existed there, steady and controlled, as if it was waiting for something from him.
Aurelion stayed focused, his awareness steady inside the system while watching the point where the two structures met. Everything around him remained stable. The system did not react with urgency or tension. It held its structure and stayed ready, but it did not act on its own. That made it clear that whatever happened next depended on him.
Sally stood close to him, her attention sharp and steady. She understood what this moment meant even without saying much. "It's not going to move first," she said. Aurelion nodded. "No." Rowan spoke next, his voice uneasy. "…So that means we have to?" he asked.
