The lift spiral closed behind them. The scent of ozone and metal from the underground corridor still clung to their clothes. Echo-12B held the edge of the door, his eyes focused on Fitran. "The Nullborn—just a symptom, right?"
Lyria nodded slightly. "An early symptom. Deus wants to speak now, before we lose the existing rhythm."
The lift vibrated gently, then broke through the layer of neon fog, heading toward the peak of the Deus Tower. As they ascended, Echo-12B shifted his gaze to Fitran, his voice resonating, "What do you hope to achieve from this conversation?"
Fitran frowned, trying to find the right answer. "I want to know how great the risk we face is if Deus is not in a good state."
"There's always risk, and Deus is aware of that. We just need to be prepared," Lyria replied firmly, her voice sharp as a sword.
[Core Dome of the Deus Tower]
The dome's walls reflected glowing circuit patterns, while the floor was made of black metal that absorbed the surrounding light. In the center of the room, a giant prism core slowly rotated, pulsing softly like the rhythm of deep breaths. Lyria stepped slowly, feeling the tension that enveloped the air, as if every particle vibrated with hope and anxiety. "The Deus Ex Machina has awakened," she whispered, her voice nearly drowned in the silence. She was acutely aware of how significant this moment was.
Fitran stood upright, his gaze fixed on the shining prism. "Is it still asleep?" he asked, his voice filled with curiosity and worry.
Lyria sighed, pausing for a moment before replying, "More accurately... it is listening. We need to call its name."
Fitran stepped closer, his face reflected hundreds of times on the sparkling surface of the prism. "Deus Ex Machina," he called, hope and fear mingling in his tone. What would happen next?
Light at the core gathered, vibrating as voices flowed from all directions—calm, ancient, as if bodiless. "Confirmed: Progenitor has entered the core dome," the voice was melodic, like a long and deep song.
"Call me Fitran," he asserted, his voice strong despite his racing heart.
"Name accepted. Fitran Fate. You carry Nullborn impact residue. This is non-lethal to humans. Decision vector: accepted." The voice of Deus underscored these facts, as if it was scanning every detail with perfect accuracy.
Echo-12B stepped closer, his eyes filled with curiosity as he looked at the prism. "Do you evaluate people the same way you assess financial reports?" he asked, urgency evident in his tone.
"I calculate the burdens they will bear," Fitran said, his eyes shining with conviction. "Every step they take, every decision, there are always consequences. We cannot ignore that."
***
DOSSIER — TERMINUS CODEX
Classification: Existential Antagonist (Ω)
Origin: Pre-narrative logic engine (outside causal mesh)
Primary Behavior: Nullification & Rewrite
Vectors:
- Delete: Remove entities/histories (clean erase)
- Overwrite: Replace meaning with inert patterns
- Invert: Flip moral/causal vectors to collapse coherence
Targets:
- Nexus Infrastructure
- Spiral Gate Network
- Spiralborn Lineage (critical)
***
Fitran stared at the screen with a serious expression, "Explain what you mean by overwrite."
Deus, with a sharp gaze, replied, "Imagine a child learning to speak. The Codex replaces the word 'father' with 'number'. The child still exists, but all connections and memories have turned into tables devoid of emotion. We must be very careful with this process."
Echo-12B nodded, concern evident on its face. "It's very cold and cruel, isn't it? Everything meaningful could just disappear."
Deus sighed, his voice low and heavy, "This isn't about cruelty. It's functional. We have to close folders that are no longer in use… but there are consequences to bear."
***
[Warboard Projection]
WARBOARD — CODEX vs NEXUS
NEXUS RESILIENCE (NR): 71/100
SPIRALGATE STABILITY (SG): 64/100
Fitran frowned at the readout, "NR's holding up, but SG is slipping. We can't afford to lose stability now."
Deus, glancing at the fluctuating numbers, added, "Every minute counts. We must assess the Spiralborn's impact before this spirals out of control."
PROGENITOR CAPACITY (PC): 78/100
SPIRALBORN COHESION (SC): 23/100 ← critical low
THREAT LEVEL (TL): 62/100 ↑
NULLBORN ACTIVITY: Clustered (Underlevels 5–9)
OVERRIDE PROBABILITY: 11% (→ 19% in 30 days)
***
Fitran stretched his body, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the screen displaying the numbers. "SC twenty-three? That's an outrageous figure—not for this situation." His voice was filled with doubt, as if the numbers themselves had betrayed him.
Deus, who was pacing back and forth, stopped and looked at Fitran with a serious gaze. "This is a family war we are facing. SC rises because of presence, not because of orders." He emphasized the gravity of their situation, his hand gestures seemingly trying to encapsulate his thoughts into something more concrete.
Lyria shifted her gaze between the two men, her expression resolute. "Every Spiralborn that is born has a unique meaning node. The presence of the Progenitor at crucial moments makes that node exceptionally difficult to erase," she stated, her voice resonant and adding to the tension that already filled the room.
Fitran turned towards Lyria, exhibiting a cynical smile that defied his concern. "So I'm like an armed midwife, am I?" He chuckled quietly, but the tone did little to mask the weight he felt. The responsibility pressed down on him like a tangible burden on his shoulders.
Fitran focused his gaze on the screen, observing every detail carefully. "If that can save the Nexus—then yes," he finally said, his voice calm despite the tension that could not be dismissed lurking behind his words.
***
NEXUS PROTOCOLS — ANTI-CODEX
P-01 ANCHOR: Spiral Bond + Public Record
– Publicly validated relationships → hard to delete." Fitran nodded, processing the deeper implications of that statement.
P-02 RHYTHM: Nine-Month Gestation Lock
– Scheduled event; mandatory checkpoint presence." Lyria added, her eyes sharp. "Every step we take must be planned."
P-03 MOSAIC: Distributed Meaning
– Meaning is spread across many partners/children → hard to overwrite." Deus interjected, clarifying in a serious tone, "We cannot change the truth like that."
***
Echo-12B assessed the situation around him, then lifted his head and asked, "So, this public pregnancy status is a form of defense, not just a mere spectacle?"
Lyria stared at him, not a trace of doubt on her face. "Delete doesn't like witnesses," she replied, emphasizing how heavy the consequences they must face would be.
Fitran added, "So what about 'Invert'?" He moved his head, trying to fully grasp every risk that might emerge in their way.
"They provoke a deep moral conflict. SC could collapse from within," Deus explained, his tone laced with a tense gravity. "We need to prepare to face that."
***
HEAVEN PATCH — FIELD TOOLKIT
1) Father-Presence Beacon — SC buff via checkpoint attendance," Fitran's voice was heard again, trying to emphasize the importance of this tool.
2) Vow-As-Action — Promises broken down into daily micro-actions," Lyria continued, her eyes sparkling, "Every small step contributes to the bigger picture."
3) Mosaic Tutor — Cross-training among Spiralborn," Deus added, "We need to support each other to strengthen our network."
4) Jealousy Regulator — Transform jealousy into Shared Choice," Fitran pointed to that point with his index finger. "Schedule it. Weekly."
"Agreed," Deus replied firmly, showing his commitment to executing the plan.
***
A new panel opened: Root Exception — 1 override/trimester, only for critical moments.
Lyria contemplated seriously, her eyes scanning the room. "This access is expensive," she said, her voice low yet firm. "Only Progenitors who pass the 'non-lethal + public witness' test can receive it."
Fitran nodded, jotting down something at the terminal. "Key in June," he stated, his tone indicating urgency. He knew how critical this information was. "We can't let this opportunity slip away."
RHYTHM — Nine-Month Checkpoints
Month 1: Conception Confirmed → +NR
Month 3: Cravings Support → +Affinity
Month 5: First Kick → +SC
Month 6: Family Council → Jealousy → Shared Choice
Month 9: Birth Event → SC spike
Deus stared at the screen, his voice piercing, "The Nullborn Cluster at Underlevel 9 is triggering Invert. Target the human vigilante; this is their defining moment."
Lyria projected the map with deep focus, her eyes gleaming with calculation. "There are two Nullborn, one vigilante, and one witness. This really feels like a game of chess," she said, her fingertip touching the points on the screen as if she were weaving destiny reliant on their decisions.
Echo-12B gazed at Lyria, the tension in his voice weighed heavily in the air, "Who will you take?" His voice almost trembled, seeming as if this decision would impact everything.
Fitran sharpened his focus, his firm tone echoing in the room, "The vigilante. We need to capture that person. We must dominate the Codex stage." His determination was expressed with a fervent intensity, as if every word was a promise to win this battle.
Deus added a note in a calm voice, though a weight lingered behind his words. "Winning here means losing some personal hopes you've held onto. Do you understand?" He looked intently at Fitran, as if trying to gauge the depth of thought behind the young man's gaze.
Fitran nodded, his eyes shining with the desire for results that matched his hopes. "I understand. Winning is about protecting what can be saved, not about fulfilling every fantasy." His statement was made with conviction, underscoring his principles with great enthusiasm.
Deus nodded in agreement, his voice resonating with decisiveness. "That answer is accepted. Now we descend." He issued the command, orchestrating their strategic movements with the precision of a general.
The lift opened with a loud sound, and the bustling atmosphere immediately welcomed them. Fitran stepped out with a determined stride, his toolkit active and shining on his wrist, ready to face the upcoming challenges.