The second roar vibrated through Aerindor from beneath the surface. Buildings shook violently, and stone fissures appeared across the streets as terrified civilians stumbled through the rain, screaming in confusion. The sound did not originate outside the walls; it emanated from below. Rylan examined the ground carefully.
"Nope," he stated. Another tremor surged upward."Absolutely not," he reaffirmed.
The streets ruptured throughout the city centre as black energy burst from the cracks, like smoke rising from underground depths. Panic spread rapidly.
"The city is collapsing!" someone shouted.
"Run!" another cried."It is beneath us!" someone else warned.
Kael instinctively grasped Lyra's arm protectively as the command hall shook around them. Selene's face lost all colour.
"There was supposed to be only one sealed Titan here," she said.
Lyra looked at her sharply. "Only one?"
The stranger's expression hardened.
"Was this city built above a seal?" Selene asked. She remained silent, and that silence conveyed everything.
Rylan blinked slowly. "You know, every conversation somehow becomes worse after you answer it."
Outside, Caelum remained floating above the city under storm clouds, golden rings turning slowly behind him. For the first time, his composed expression shifted to one of concern.
The ground beneath Aerindor suddenly erupted. A colossal black hand emerged through the central district, crushing towers beneath its weight. People screamed as debris rained down onto the streets. The Titan beneath the city was awakening.
Unlike the northern Titan, this one radiated unstable and corrupted energy. The balance marker on Lyra's wrist burned intensely, with warning symbols flashing repeatedly.
SYSTEM CONFLICT DETECTED
TITAN CORRUPTION DETECTED
Pain pierced Lyra's mind as visions flooded her consciousness: ancient civilisations, Titans standing peacefully alongside humans as protectors—long before they became destroyers, then war, then fear.
Humanity seeks to control the system itself, and ultimately, the Titans become corrupted after centuries of imbalance. Lyra gasped sharply as the visions ended. Kael immediately steadied her.
"What did you see?" he asked. Lyra looked toward the rising giant hand beneath the city.
"The Titans were not created to destroy humanity," she replied. Selene stared at her intently. "They once protected the balance," she said. The stranger nodded slowly.
"This aligns with the old records," he confirmed.
Another explosion shattered the city centre. The corrupted Titan was now fully emerging, its massive form covered in glowing red fractures instead of silver ones. Its roar was painful and agonised, as if something within was broken.
Caelum's voice suddenly echoed across the stormy sky.
"Everyone, evacuate the central districts immediately!" he commanded.
The city froze in place, as this time, there was no arrogance in his tone—only urgency. The corrupted Titan swung a colossal arm through the city, instantly obliterating entire streets. Shockwaves hurled civilians backwards.
Kael activated a massive fire barrier while Rylan used lightning to evacuate trapped survivors at extraordinary speed. The hunter captain shouted desperately,
"Move everyone south!"
Selene gazed at the Titan with increasing horror.
"It is awakening too soon," she said.
Lyra frowned sharply.
"What does that mean?" she asked.
Selene answered quietly:
"It is suffering." This simple statement carried a heavy weight.
The Titan roared again. This time, Lyra sensed something beneath the sound—not rage, but pain. The creature struck blindly at nearby towers, destroying everything around it like an injured animal unable to control itself.
Suddenly, its glowing red eyes fixed directly on Lyra. The entire city seemed to hold its breath. The Titan stared silently and then projected a message into her mind, not spoken aloud but felt:
"Balance… bearer…"
Lyra froze. The voice was ancient, broken, and profoundly sad. The Titan took a massive step toward her. Kael immediately positioned himself between Lyra and the creature.
"You are not touching her," he declared.
Suddenly, golden light descended from the sky. Caelum landed between Lyra and the Titan as immense energy radiated outward. The impact shook the city. The corrupted Titan roared furiously at him. Caelum maintained a calm gaze.
"You are destabilising too rapidly," he said.
Rylan blinked. "Why does he sound like he is talking to a malfunctioning machine?" he asked. Because he was, Caelum lifted a glowing hand, and golden chains of energy erupted from the sky, wrapping around the Titan's arms and torso. The creature screamed in agony.
Lyra's eyes widened.
"Stop!" she cried.
Caelum shot her a sharp look.
"If I do not restrain it, the city will perish," he replied.
The Titan fought violently against the bindings, red corruption spreading faster through its gigantic form. Lyra then realised the horrible truth: Caelum was not harming it intentionally. The corruption was a reaction to his control.
The Titan's voice echoed weakly within her mind again:
"Core… poisoned…"
Lyra's breathing grew uneven as she understood that something had corrupted the system itself—beyond humanity or anomalies, everything.
The Titan suddenly looked directly at Lyra and presented her with one final vision: a silver-eyed entity standing beside the Core thousands of years ago, smiling.
The vision shattered abruptly as the Titan's final word echoed within her mind:
"Run."
Then, the Core beneath the world pulsed violently, causing every Titan across the planet to awaken simultaneously.