[Celestial Academy — Administrative Wing Corridor — 12:09 PM]
The corridor was relatively silent.
Relatively, because the constructed creature was still active with 132,600 HP and Aurum's Solar Corona was degrading it at 4,200 per second — which meant thirty‑one seconds before the problem changed shape.
Thirty‑one seconds no one was guaranteed to have.
Emily stood five meters from the Harvester.
The memories of Ishi hung in the air between them.
The Harvester did not move. It did not orient toward the constructed creature. It did not orient toward Emily.
Still.
F1 and F4 processed something that was not a threat and yet was not an irrelevant variable.
Emily breathed.
---
Seraph came to her side.
Not between Emily and the Harvester. To the left flank, outside the direct radius, with F2's scythe inactive — deliberately inactive, its spiritual signature collapsed so that F1 would not read it as a threat.
In a low voice:
"How much time do you have?"
