The lead-lined coffer lay on the rough table of their rented room, a low, ominous mass that seemed to suck the light from the air. The Ward on the ancient scroll within wasn't just a lock; it was a presence, a silent, sleeping guardian of immense power. Felix could feel it even through the lead, a low, threatening hum that resonated on the lowest levels of the Unseen Tide.
He didn't attempt to open it for days. He simply sat and held it, his hands on the chill metal, his consciousness extended. He wasn't trying to break the Ward. He was trying to learn its language.
Annotation: Royal Ward of Secrecy (King's Edict Variant – Lv. 99). Purpose: To protect. To conceal. To punish presumption. Mechanism: Psychometric trigger. The Ward is not activated by force or ingenious unlocking spells. It
