The Eastern Barracks stood quiet.
Too quiet.
Hundreds of soldiers trained there daily.
Now only murmurs remained.
Memories… and distortions.
---
> [Perceptual Echo Scan Lv.1 Activated]
Anomaly Detected: Collective Memory Instability
Target: Commander Delven's Leadership Thread
Probability of Avatar Seed Manifestation: 89%
---
Riven arrived with Mira, Yra, and a squad of trusted scouts.
Delven waited in the command tent.
His expression was calm.
Too calm.
"Lord Valen," he greeted. "Is there a reason for this unexpected review?"
Riven didn't answer directly.
Instead, he focused on the air around Delven.
The weight of belief.
His soldiers didn't just follow him.
They revered him.
---
Mira whispered, "They don't see the cracks."
Yra nodded. "Because they believe too much."
---
> [System Advisory: Avatar Class Threat Unlikely to Manifest Physically]
Warning: Threat anchored in collective reputation, not individual memory.
---
"Commander," Riven said, "I need to perform a thread scan."
Delven frowned.
"Have I given cause for suspicion?"
"No. But the Circle's influence doesn't require consent."
The soldiers watching tensed.
Delven raised a hand.
"If this clears doubt, so be it."
---
Riven touched the Thread Anchor crystal to Delven's temple.
> [Memory Correction – Scan Initiated]
---
A flood of data surged.
Battles.
Speeches.
Orders given.
All accurate.
All real.
Until—
---
> [Thread Divergence Detected]
Memory Event: Victory at Veylon Ridge.
---
Riven's breath caught.
"That battle never happened."
Mira's eyes widened.
"But everyone remembers it."
The tent darkened.
Not from shadow.
From certainty.
The soldiers outside murmured the same words:
"Veylon Ridge. Delven's triumph. The day order was restored."
A battle that never occurred.
But which everyone remembered.
---
> [System Alert: Collective Memory Echo Manifesting]
Avatar-Class Threat Detected.
---
From the corner of the tent, a figure emerged.
Tall. Armored.
Commander Delven.
But perfected.
His uniform flawless.
His medals gleaming.
His eyes silver with certainty.
The Strategist's Seed.
---
> [Avatar Form: Idealized Leadership Construct]
Purpose: Preserve false victories. Prevent acceptance of fallibility.
---
The real Delven staggered.
"I... I never ordered the Ridge assault."
"But they believe you did," Mira whispered.
"And belief sustains the Avatar," Yra added.
---
The Avatar spoke.
"Your people need certainty.
Not doubt.
Not truth."
It turned to Riven.
"You can break this illusion. But at what cost?"
---
Riven's mind raced.
If he shattered the false memory, he risked fracturing the loyalty and morale of his troops.
But if he left it intact…
The seed would grow.
---
> [Memory Correction Lv.3 Available]
Risk: 72% chance of morale collapse.
Alternative: Isolate the memory thread without public exposure.
---
Mira grabbed his arm.
"We can't destroy their faith in Delven."
"Then we extract the infection silently."
Riven closed his eyes.
No public correction.
No collapse.
A precise extraction.
---
He activated the skill.
> [Memory Correction – Targeted Isolation Mode Engaged]
Anchors Required: Mira, Yra, Delven.
Initiating Thread Severance Attempt...
---
The world around them fractured.
They stood not in the tent…
But at the imagined battlefield of Veylon Ridge.
Soldiers cheered.
Banners flew.
Delven stood atop a hill, victorious.
A victory that never was.
---
The Avatar raised its blade — not to attack, but to reinforce the lie.
"Preserve this memory.
It brings unity."
---
Riven drew his bow.
Mira summoned her dagger.
Yra nocked an arrow.
Delven stood trembling.
"I never deserved this legend," he whispered.
"Then reclaim your truth," Riven said.
---
The Avatar attacked.
Its blade struck not flesh, but conviction.
Riven blocked the blow with an arrow inscribed "Choice."
Mira parried with her dagger etched "Truth."
Yra's arrow sang "Resilience."
---
Delven approached the Avatar — his own idealized image.
He placed a hand on the figure's chest.
"I release this burden."
The false Delven froze.
Cracks spread across its form.
---
> [Thread Severance in Progress – 64%]
Collective Memory Stabilizing...
---
But the Avatar resisted.
"Without this, they will doubt.
And doubt leads to chaos."
---
Riven fired a final arrow.
"Better doubt than deceit."
The arrow struck the Avatar's heart.
The idealized image of Delven shattered.
The false soldiers and banners dissolved into silver threads.
---
> [Thread Severance Complete – 100%]
Memory Correction Successful.
Collective Loyalty: Adjusted.
Morale Impact: Minimal.
---
The battlefield faded.
They stood once more in the command tent.
The real Delven sank into a chair, face pale but eyes clear.
"I remember now.
Not victories.
But choices.
Hard ones."
---
Mira placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Your people will follow the man you are.
Not the myth."
Delven nodded.
"And that will be enough."
---
> [Synchronization: 96.9%]
Avatar Seeds Remaining: 1
Threat Projection: Extreme
Note: Final Seed shows signs of mobility and concealment.
---
As Riven prepared to leave, a scout rushed in.
"Report from the northern districts. An envoy arrived. Claims to represent an ancient agreement."
He handed over a sigil.
Riven's blood ran cold.
---
It bore the mark of Kael.
---
Mira whispered, "The final seed?"
"Or something older," Riven replied.
---
> [Next Target: The Legacy's Seed]
Location: Unknown.
Status: Adaptive / Sentient / Concealed.
---
Riven closed the interface.
"To the north," he said.
Mira, Yra, and Delven followed without question.
"Let's finish what we started."