The Executor did not step into the realm.
The realm recoiled around it.
Light bent sharply away from the silhouette forcing itself through the rupture behind the Archivist, as if existence itself recognized a hierarchy it could not refuse. The pressure slammed down hard enough to drive Elara to one knee, pain flashing white-hot through the thread wrapped around her wrists.
Draven shouted her name, fighting the invisible force pinning him in place. His muscles screamed as he pushed forward inch by inch, bond blazing violently between them.
The Devourer snarled, chains flaring bright. “They should not have sent you,” it growled toward the Archivist. “This exceeds correction.”
The Archivist did not turn.
“Correction escalation approved,” it intoned. “Deviation threatens archive integrit
