A heavy, absolute silence fell over the vault. The crystal pillar continued to glow, bleeding a radiance like liquid sunlight across the chamber floor and illuminating the ancient runes etched into the masonry. The Legacy Archive had never shown this level of violent activity.
Instructor Vale looked genuinely disturbed. That detail alone elevated the situation from deeply concerning to downright dangerous. Orion had only known the woman for two days, but she had projected a wall of unshakeable confidence through every bizarre circumstance thrown their way—missing branches, ancient cultivation failures, and hidden lineages hadn't even caused her to blink. But this had.
"The Frontier Branch survived," Selene said, finally breaking the quiet.
Vale nodded slowly, her eyes locked on the swirling gold of the pillar. "Apparently."
The silver-haired girl folded her arms, her brow furrowing. "Then why disappear? Why cut off all communication fifteen years ago?"
