The world did not wait for galactic politics to settle.
Three days after the Observer's departure—
The first anomaly appeared.
It began as a tremor.
Not in the crust.
Not in the atmosphere.
But inside the Convergence Node itself.
Ethan was in the Frostfire Citadel's central chamber when it happened.
Seven pillars of elemental light stood around him—Frostfire, Storm, Flame, Shadow, Sea, Gravity, and the Seventh Lattice—each connected by thin arcs of shimmering energy.
They were stable.
Perfectly aligned.
Until—
A faint ripple passed through the lattice.
Not destabilizing.
Not violent.
Foreign.
Ethan's eyes snapped open.
Kaelith, who had been leaning against one of the obsidian columns nearby, straightened immediately.
"You felt that."
"Yes."
The System flickered.
[External Signal Injection Detected]
[Source: Non-Planetary]
[Authorization: None]
Kaelith's aura darkened.
"Someone's testing the structure."
