The stasis cradle hissed softly as the cryo-lock seal disengaged. Frost bled down its curved glass surface, and inside, the figure remained motionless—suspended in time. A soft blue glow washed over his pale features, his chest slowly rising and falling in shallow breaths.
Ren's eyes didn't leave the man inside.
He didn't know him.
Yet, something familiar throbbed in the back of his mind.
SYSTEM: Parallel Seeder Synchronization Possible
Warning: Memory crosslink risks instability
Status: Candidate remains in deep suspension
Action Required: Manual Interface Link or Leave in Stasis
Ilis stepped forward first, studying the pod. "He's not corrupted. No rot. This one's been sealed cleanly since the Fall."
Kael gave a short nod. "Means someone preserved him intentionally. Maybe for this moment."
"Or maybe as a failsafe if you failed," Meka added, arms crossed.
Ren slowly approached, the ambient system energy bending slightly toward him. The Seed within his own chest responded—humming faintly in resonance. He could feel a tether, faint but real.
"We're connected," he whispered. "Not just by role. This one… he was a Seeder too. But he was before me."
Ilis tapped her fingers against her thigh. "We don't know who he is, what he remembers, or what he's capable of. Could be another Guardian. Could be something worse."
Ren stared at the pod interface.
A small glyph pulsed.
Engage Seedlink?
Yes / No
For a long breath, he hesitated.
Then: Yes.
The moment the link was made, the chamber dimmed. A pulse of white light shot outward from the pod, and in the span of a heartbeat, Ren's mind was pulled inward.
He stood on a ridge, overlooking a ruined garden. The air smelled of ash and burned ozone. In front of him, the other Seeder stood—awake in this shared memory space. His back was turned, but Ren could sense the heaviness in his stance.
"You came late," the man said, his voice tired. "But not too late. That means the Rootworld survived."
"Barely," Ren answered. "Who are you?"
The man turned.
His eyes were like Ren's—root-gold, flickering. But beneath them, he looked older. Worn. Not by age, but by failure. Experience.
"I was the first Seeder this world produced after the Divide. Name's Kareth. I wasn't strong enough."
Ren narrowed his eyes. "You made it to the Citadel."
Kareth nodded. "We built the foundation. But we underestimated the corruption. Thought sealing it would be enough."
"And now?"
"Now it's too deep. What you've seen is just the tip. The real rot—the origin—wasn't from this realm. It arrived, buried in one of the seeds we found, mistaken as power."
Ren's chest tightened. "The Seed carries it?"
"No. One Seed carried it. A false seed. A shadow made to mimic renewal while devouring its host."
SYSTEM ALERT: Memory Sync Level II Achieved
New Information Unlocked:
— Corrupted Seeder Line Exists
— Archive Location of Origin Available (Locked Tier)
— Kareth System Functions Limited Post-Stasis
Kareth stepped closer. "You still have time. The system chose you because you weren't part of the original structure. You're flexible. Adaptable."
"You mean I don't follow the old rules."
Kareth gave a wry smile. "Exactly."
Ren exhaled. "So why were you kept in stasis?"
"To pass on the warning," Kareth said simply. "My Seed is fractured. I can't rejoin the living system. But I can give you this."
He reached out—and a glyph passed between them. A glowing thread, too fine to touch, but strong enough to burn.
INTEGRATION RECEIVED: Seeder's Ember
Function: Passive Insight into Corruption Threads
Bonus: Can temporarily suppress Seedline Shadow Manifestations
Limit: Single Use (Recharge via Root Nexus)
Ren staggered as he returned to himself.
The cradle stopped glowing. Kareth remained still inside, but now… quiet. Dormant. No longer breathing, yet not entirely gone.
Ilis approached. "Ren?"
"He gave me a warning. And a key."
Kael looked to the pod. "He's not waking up?"
"No. His time's passed. But his memory is now part of mine."
Meka stared into the pod. "He looked like he carried the world."
"He did," Ren replied. "And now I carry what's left of it."
They left the chamber in silence.
The Citadel had more secrets—some buried, some waiting. The Guardian still stood beside the archive console, unmoving, watching. As they passed, it bowed slightly.
"You have chosen the difficult path, Seeder," it intoned. "But it is the only one that matters."
Ren paused.
"Then I'll walk it."
SYSTEM UPDATE: Seeder Memory Integration 19%
Rootworld Awareness Growing
Thread of Renewal Strengthened
New Destination Unlocked: Upper Tether Spire
As they climbed the spiral bridge toward the surface, the light above shifted.
Not warmth.
But dawn.