The knock came again.
Not mechanical. Not random. It carried rhythm—three soft pulses, followed by two hard strikes. Stone to stone.
Cael stood motionless, scanner held in front like a shield. The UI stabilized, its flickering lines forming a fresh overlay.
[Active Signal Detected]Origin: Proximity Node (Unregistered)Classification: Architect-Level Echo Core
Signal Integrity: 71%Estimated Age: Unknown
WARNING: This interface predates DAS Standardization Protocols. Compatibility unstable.
His brow furrowed.
There weren't supposed to be other cores—not like his. According to the system, he had inherited a prototype interface, uniquely bonded. This… this shouldn't exist.
He stepped toward the mark. The three circles shimmered faintly, reacting to his movement. It wasn't glowing from heat or light. It was resonating. Responding.
Cael reached out.
A low hum began at his fingertips, crawling up his arm like static.
[Architect Warning]Caution: Unknown signal architecture may override existing neural imprint.Mental strain is possible. System advises disconnection.
He touched the symbol anyway.
The world tilted.
Not physically—mentally. The tunnel, the dust, the darkness—they all seemed to fold outward like paper, revealing something hidden behind the stone.
A whisper.
—hello?
It wasn't a voice. Not really. It was more like a spatial pressure, a compression of meaning that formed words inside his head.
Cael gritted his teeth. His vision blurred as lines—blueprint lines—sketched across the air around him, weaving into a half-built structure of light and memory. They were incomplete. Ruined. Broken.
He recognized a few components: thermal conduits, arc-fusion supports, even a partially formed shield ring.
But the rest?
Alien. Elegant. Older than anything he had studied.
[ACCESS PARTIAL]Download Fragment: 12%
Codename: Project Hearthseed
Entry Marker: Subnet Architect – Designated "A-V"
"Althis," Cael whispered aloud.
The name had appeared in the encrypted codex—buried under layers of corrupted archive files. One of the rumored "first builders." But no one knew if he had ever truly existed.
Now?
He was listening.
Cael pulled his hand back. The symbol dimmed instantly. The tunnel felt colder.
[Signal Dormant]
Connection terminated. Neural strain: MildSystem Stability: 91%
Note: Fragment retained for future reconstruction.
He stumbled backward. Sat down hard. Breathed.
So. He wasn't the only one.
There were other architects—older ones. Rogue systems. Maybe even rival civilizations.
The knock hadn't been a warning.
It had been an invitation.
But to what?
Before he could gather himself, the scanner chirped again.
This time, it wasn't about the wall.
It was about movement—behind him.
[ALERT]Biological Signature DetectedDistance: 26 metersSpecies: Unidentified
Behavior Pattern: Intermittent trackingClassification: Potential Hostile
Cael froze.
His shelter was too far to run to. The scanner's light flickered in the dust, catching the glint of something metallic, low to the ground and fast.
Too fast.
His hand hovered near his toolpack. No weapons. No armor. Just steel, stone, and hope.
And behind him, the tunnel whispered again.
This time, it wasn't a knock.
It was a growl.