Garrus Flint didn't beg.
Even chained in the Bastion's underground holding pit, bloodied, stripped of armor, he sat with his back straight and his one remaining eye fixed on Kian.
"I saw your face in Zareth once," he said, voice gravelled. "You were on a list. Not a wanted poster — a project file."
Kian raised a brow. "You read classified Empire documents?"
"I used to be the man they sent to erase loose ends."
[Codex Alert – Subject: Garrus Flint]
Former Rank: War Captain, Zarethian Black Flame Corps
Specialty: Mage Execution & Siege Clearance
Mental Resistance: High. Interrogation Difficulty: Moderate.
Veyna leaned against the wall nearby, arms crossed. Her flame-marked eyes flickered in the dark.
"You said 'project file.' What does that mean?"
Garrus smiled, one tooth missing.
"You think the Codex and the Predation system just 'found' him? No. He was born near one of the oldest breach zones. Before it was even named. Before the Codex was even a tool."
Kian's eyes narrowed.
"So I'm what?"
"An echo," Garrus said. "A repeat experiment. You weren't chosen by accident. You were built."
[Codex Disturbance – Unknown File Referenced]
Fragment Unlocked: "Architect Seed Program – Record 01"
Subject: K.T.
Status: Unactivated at time of escape. Monitored until dissociation.
Warning: Direct references suppressed by Royal Arcanum Authority.
Accessing further logs may trigger tracing protocol.
Veyna stepped closer. "Why are you telling us this?"
Garrus looked at her — not mocking, not cruel. Just tired.
"Because you're not the only one who was sealed."
And he tapped the brand on his chest — a circular glyph that glowed faintly in her presence.
"I recognized you the moment you burned my men."
Kian left the chamber an hour later, jaw tight.
Above ground, the settlement buzzed with activity.
Gellon and Marra supervised the construction of the Codex Beacon Tower — a spiraled obelisk of stone and metal, fed by an underground ley vein and laced with flame-glyphs. Its purpose wasn't only architectural. It was a declaration.
[New Structure Online: Codex Beacon Tower]
Effect: Projects Bastion's existence across regional ley lines.
Passive Bonus: +10% morale for allies, -15% invasion risk (random factions).
Hidden Effect: Ancient Forces Notified.
The Codex flared in warning.
[Far Signal Detected – Mythic Source Interference]
Designation: Unknown Vessel of Echo Fire
Direction: East — Viyredan Expanse
Status: Approaching... Slowly.
Kian stared at the data.
"They saw it," he muttered. "Something… out there saw what we built."
That Evening
Veyna stood beneath the Beacon, the firelight rippling across her features.
She held a sealed journal in one hand — scavenged from Garrus's war gear.
Inside it were orders, codes, a list of names.
Half of them were nobles.
The other half... were infiltrators.
She pointed to one.
"This one. He's here."
Kian followed her finger.
Isalene.
The soft-spoken healer who'd come weeks ago. The one who never spoke too much. Who never touched a weapon. Who always smiled.
[Codex Observation Mode Reengaged]
Subject: Isalene – Background fabricated. Medical glyphs legitimate. No prior affiliations... visible.
Unusual Mana Signature: Echo-Tuned.
Risk Level: Moderate / Unknown.
Kian's voice dropped.
"She's a memory thief."
They confronted her at the well that night.
Isalene didn't run.
She smiled.
"You built something beautiful," she said, voice gentle. "I was sent to learn how. To copy the schematics. To trace your path. But now that I'm here…"
She stepped forward.
"I'd rather stay."
Warning: Detected Echo Node Residue – Mind-Tethered.
Eliminating host does not guarantee elimination of threat.
Kian didn't blink.
"You gave my enemy your eyes. You don't get to stay."
Isalene looked sad. "Then I hope you never learn what you really are, Kian."
And she leapt into the well.
There was no splash.
Just fire.
[Codex Update – Threat Eliminated (Unconfirmed)]
Echo Presence persists in traces. Recommend purging the waterline.
Settlement Morale: Stable.
New Trait Available: Echo Ward – Immune to first hostile mental invasion per day.
Elsewhere…
Far across the wastes, beneath a mountain of obsidian, a creature made of roots and silver ash awoke.
It turned its head toward the Beacon light, its face carved like a god's statue.
It smiled, and said:
"The Architect's seed has bloomed."
"Let him build."
"And when it's done… we will walk upon the ash."
End of Chapter 11