The First Thread's integration changed everything.
Marcus felt it in the days that followed—a deepening of the connection, a richness that hadn't been there before. The threads pulsed with new life, new purpose, new meaning. The world felt more alive, more connected, more whole.
But there was something else. Something that troubled Marcus deeply.
The First Thread had brought something with it. A presence. A weight. An anchor that had been hidden beneath the Foundation, waiting for this moment.
Anna noticed it too. She came to the clock tower one evening, her face pale, her eyes hollow.
"Something is wrong," she said. "I can feel it in the connection. A pressure. A weight. Something that wasn't there before."
Marcus nodded slowly. "I know. The First Thread brought something with it. S
