The rumble beneath the capital was not the shifting of earth, but the groan of rusted gears the size of cathedrals. As the Inquisition soldiers dropped their weapons. Their gazes locked in paralyzed horror at the projected memories of the Serpent’s Hollow. The very cobblestones of the plaza began to churn like the teeth of an opening vault.
"Lucien, the ground!" Seraphina shouted, her violet eyes scanning the tremors with a scholar’s mounting dread. "This city... it isn't just built on a foundation of stone. It’s a mechanism. The Architect didn't just design the cathedral; he designed the entire urban layout as a backup battery."
Lucien didn't need the explanation. He could feel it. The city was a machine, and he had just yanked the primary power supply. Now, the backup systems. The dorm
