## The Dimensional Interference
The night Current Node showed its unpredictable nature when the group entered it. Instead of the usual interdimensional tunnel of fluid energy, they found themselves in a chaotic space where crosscurrents violently collided, like an unleashed reality storm.
```
[ALERT: Critical Node instability]
[Cause: Unknown dimensional interference]
[Group integrity: Compromised]
[Trajectory: Diverted, uncertain destination]
```
Richard tried to keep the group together through his increasingly refined control of the currents, but a massive disturbance, like a purple shockwave, crossed the Node just as they were attempting to stabilize their course.
"We're fragmenting!" shouted Ryven, his voice distorted as if coming from multiple places simultaneously. "Try to stay together!"
Emily clutched Richard's hand with superhuman strength, while Jake and Elliot, joined together, were dragged by a divergent current. Ryven struggled to reach them, but the distortion's force was too intense.
"Richard!" Emily's voice sounded terrified but determined. "Something is deliberately manipulating the Node!"
She was right. This wasn't a natural fluctuation. With his Echo Vision activated to the maximum, Richard detected precise patterns in the apparent chaos, as if an intelligence were rewriting the Node's fundamental currents.
A final burst of purple energy completely fragmented their connection. The last thing Richard saw was Jake and Elliot being dragged through a different dimensional corridor, while Ryven desperately tried to reach them before being engulfed by a third current.
Richard's consciousness dissolved into interdimensional chaos, his only certainty Emily's hand still grasping his as they both fell through a vortex of fractured reality.
## Awakening in Strange Land
"Richard... Richard, wake up."
Emily's voice seemed to come from far away, penetrating layers of unconsciousness. Richard slowly opened his eyes, feeling as if every cell in his body had been disassembled and incorrectly reassembled.
```
[Status: Severe post-transit disorientation]
[Mana: 12/72, dangerously low]
[Fragments: Stable but temporarily inactive]
[Location: Unknown, does not match intended destination]
```
He sat up with difficulty. They were in what appeared to be a dense jungle, but with disturbingly anomalous features: vegetation with shades oscillating between violet and amber; rock formations that seemed to disobey basic laws of physics; and most disturbing: a sky where two partially transparent moons overlapped in different phases.
"We're not in the Valley of Echoes," he muttered, trying to orient himself. "I don't even think we're in our usual dimension."
Emily nodded, her expression a mixture of fear and fascination.
"It's as if we've been diverted to a liminal realm... a space between dimensions."
Richard briefly activated his Echo Vision, but the effort almost made him faint again. His mana was dangerously depleted.
"Something deliberately intercepted the Node," he said as Emily helped him stay upright. "The question is who... or what."
"Do you think they were Voraxia agents?"
"I don't think so," Richard replied after reflecting. "Voraxia seeks to destabilize, not redirect. This was... specific. As if someone wanted to separate us and send us here in particular."
They examined their immediate surroundings. Their backpacks had arrived with them, though some contents seemed altered: food provisions were now translucent crystals with unknown nutritional properties; the Xer'thul communication devices emitted random tonal sequences; and the Affinity Compass that Kaelum had given Richard spun continuously, unable to find north in this anomalous realm.
"We need to find the others," Richard declared. "And figure out exactly where we are."
Emily pointed toward a nearby hill where what appeared to be an ancient structure protruded among the alien vegetation.
"Maybe from there we can get better oriented."
The ascent proved more challenging than expected. Gravity fluctuated subtly with each step, and occasionally they found themselves walking through pockets of distorted time where their movements inexplicably slowed or accelerated.
Upon reaching the summit, the view that greeted them took their breath away. Before them stretched an impossible landscape: fragments of different ecosystems and realities united in a mosaic that defied all geographic comprehension. Here a section of arid desert; there a stretch of ocean frozen in mid-wave; beyond, architectural structures that seemed built by non-human minds.
And in the distance, shining like a beacon of normality in this chaos: a floating mountain with a city built in an ascending spiral.
```
[Environment analysis]
[Conclusion: Fragmentary realm, composed of partial realities]
[Hypothesis: Dimensional convergence zone, possibly artificial]
[Potential destination: Settlement detected approximately 12 km away]
```
"That place seems... deliberate," Richard commented. "A conscious construction amidst the chaos."
"Do you think there could be others there? Maybe people who know how to get out of here?"
"There's only one way to find out."
Before they could begin their descent, a crystalline sound caught their attention. They turned to find a humanoid figure observing them from the ruined structure. Its body appeared formed of semi-translucent crystal with veins of purple energy pulsing within.
"Fragment Bearers," the entity spoke, its voice resonating directly in their minds. "Your presence here was not anticipated in the Great Score."
Richard instinctively moved into a protective position in front of Emily, though he knew that with his mana depleted, his defensive options were limited.
"Who are you?" he asked. "And where exactly are we?"
The creature tilted its crystalline head in a strangely human gesture.
"I am a Guardian of the Interstices, last remnant of those who once guarded the spaces between realities," it responded. "And this place is what your limited perceptions might interpret as a Realm of Convergence, where fragments of fractured dimensions temporarily coexist."
"Did you bring us here?" Emily asked, stepping forward to position herself beside Richard.
"No," the entity emitted what seemed to be a crystalline sigh. "The forces that manipulated your transit are beyond my jurisdiction. I sensed your arrival and came to investigate. Fragment Bearers have not crossed the Interstices in eons."
Richard exchanged a glance with Emily before addressing the Guardian again.
"We need to reunite with our companions and continue our path to the Valley of Eternal Echoes. Can you help us?"
The Guardian remained silent for several moments, as if consulting some invisible source of information.
"Your companions have been dispersed across various sectors of the Interstice," it finally informed them. "And the Valley you seek is now beyond your immediate reach. The currents have been... reconfigured."
"Reconfigured? By whom?" Richard insisted.
"By those who fear the reunification of the Codex," responded the Guardian. "The entity known in your realm as The Confluence."
Richard and Emily exchanged confused looks.
"We've never heard of The Confluence," said Emily. "We know about the Organization and the Voraxia, but..."
"The Confluence is older than both," interrupted the Guardian. "They are the original architects of the Codex's fragmentation, those who decided its power must be divided and dispersed to prevent... certain possibilities."
This revelation hit Richard like an electric shock. All the narratives he had heard suggested that the fragmentation had been an emergency measure by the Xer'thul to protect the Codex from the Voraxia. The idea of a third faction involved in the primordial events rewrote everything he thought he knew.
```
[Critical new information]
[Entity identified: The Confluence]
[Apparent purpose: Maintain the Codex fragmentation]
[Implication: Historical narrative incomplete or deliberately altered]
```
"Why are you telling us this?" Richard asked, suddenly cautious. "What do you gain by helping us?"
The Guardian emitted a sound that Richard interpreted as something similar to a melancholy laugh.
"My species was created to maintain balance between realms. With the ever-growing fracture of the Veil, that purpose has become... impossible," its crystalline form seemed to contract slightly. "Few of us remain, observing the gradual dissolution of the reality we swore to protect."
With a fluid movement, the Guardian extracted from its form what appeared to be a small violet crystal, offering it to Richard.
"This is a Transit Prism. It will allow you to navigate between sections of the Interstice with some... predictability. It's not as precise as the Nodes of your realm, but it's better than wandering blindly."
Richard accepted the crystal cautiously. Upon touching it, he felt an instant connection, as if the object responded to the presence of the fragments within him.
"Why help us?" Emily insisted, still distrustful.
"Because eons ago, when the Codex was fragmented, my species made an oath: if ever the legitimate Bearers emerged in a time of true need, they would be granted passage," responded the Guardian. "The Veil weakens beyond all repair. If there is any hope, it lies in your hands, not in the machinations of The Confluence."
"How do we find our friends?" Richard asked, carefully storing the Prism.
"The Prism will respond to your intentions. Focus on those you seek, and it will guide you... to the extent the currents allow."
The Guardian began to withdraw, its form progressively becoming more translucent.
"A final warning, Bearers," it added, its voice fading. "The Interstice distorts not only space and time, but also perception and memory. What you believe you know might be rewritten by the currents of this place. Trust the fragments; they are your only reliable anchor to reality."
With these enigmatic words, the Guardian completely disappeared, leaving Richard and Emily alone again before the fragmented landscape.
## The Mosaic of Realities
They spent the next three days traversing the disconcerting interstitial terrain, guided by the Transit Prism that glowed with different intensities and colors depending on the direction they took. Richard could feel his mana regenerating slowly, though at a much slower pace than in his native dimension.
The Interstice proved to be a place of subtle dangers and incomprehensible wonders. They passed through zones where physical laws temporarily inverted; found ruins of civilizations that apparently had never existed in their reality; and on one occasion, walked through a forest where each tree contained a fragmentary echo of some universal memory, whispering historical events from alternative dimensions.
```
[Recovery in progress]
[Mana: 28/72, regeneration slowed by dimensional environment]
[Flame Crystal: 74% integrated, process stable]
[Next fragment: Currently undetectable in this realm]
```
During these journeys, Richard took the opportunity to share his growing concerns with Emily.
"If what the Guardian said is true, there's a faction that has been manipulating events from the shadows," he reflected as they rested beside what appeared to be a river of liquid light. "The Confluence could be more dangerous than the Organization itself."
Emily nodded, collecting luminous water in a canteen to examine it.
"What worries me is that nobody on the Xer'thul side has ever mentioned their existence. Not Ryven, not Kaelum, not even the ancient chronicles we reviewed."
"Maybe they don't know," suggested Richard. "Or perhaps..."
"Perhaps what?"
"Perhaps the history that the Xer'thul know was also manipulated," he completed, evidencing a concern that had been growing in him. "The fragments might have a different purpose than what we've been told."
It was a disturbing idea, but they couldn't dismiss possibilities at this point. The Prism suddenly pulsed with greater intensity, interrupting their conversation.
"It's picking up something," said Richard, holding the crystal in front of him. "A stronger signal."
They followed the Prism's indication until reaching what appeared to be an ancient amphitheater embedded in the side of a floating rock formation. The polished stone tiers descended toward a circular stage where a solitary figure remained seated, apparently meditating.
"Ryven!" Emily exclaimed with relief upon recognizing the Xer'thul silhouette.
They ran toward him, but as they approached, Richard perceived something strange. Ryven's figure seemed slightly translucent at the edges, as if not completely anchored to this reality.
The Xer'thul opened his eyes upon sensing their presence, and Richard confirmed his suspicions: Ryven's usually silver eyes now showed purplish streaks, an unmistakable sign of prolonged exposure to the energies of the Interstice.
"At last," said Ryven, his voice sounding simultaneously near and distant. "I've been waiting for you."
"How long have you been here?" Richard asked cautiously.
Ryven tilted his head slightly, in a gesture suggesting confusion.
"Time? Time flows... differently here. For me, it's been weeks, perhaps months."
Richard and Emily exchanged alarmed looks. For them, only three days had passed since the separation in the Node.
"Have you found Jake and Elliot?" Emily asked.
"No," responded Ryven. "But I've found something more important. A truth that has been hidden from us for millennia."
With a fluid movement, Ryven extracted from his clothing what appeared to be a fragment of ancient crystal with inscriptions emitting a faint bluish glow.
"The lost archives of the Original Fragmentation," he explained. "The true story of how the Codex was divided, and why."
Richard observed the artifact with a mixture of fascination and apprehension. Something in the way Ryven spoke, in how his eyes shone with that purplish tone, activated his caution instincts.
"Where did you find that?"
"In the Ruins of Concordance, a temporal nexus that briefly exists every seven cycles of the Interstice," responded Ryven. "I've learned to navigate this realm while waiting for you."
Emily approached to examine the inscriptions, her partial affinity with Xer'thul knowledge evident in how her eyes scanned the symbols with growing comprehension.
"This seems authentic," she murmured. "But some symbols are... altered, compared to the texts we studied."
Ryven nodded.
"Because the history we know was deliberately modified," he affirmed. "The Codex was not fragmented to protect it from the Voraxia. It was fragmented to protect reality from the Codex itself."
This revelation resonated with what the Guardian had insinuated.
```
[Information analysis]
[Correlation with Guardian's data: 78%]
[Ryven's status: Potentially altered by Interstice exposure]
[Recommendation: Caution, independent verification needed]
```
"What do you mean exactly?" pressed Richard.
"The Ancestral Codex in its unified form is not simply a repository of knowledge or power," explained Ryven. "It's a dimensional key, a tool created by The Previous Ones to transit between realities. In the wrong hands, or used incorrectly even with good intentions, it could collapse not only the Veil between our world and the Voraxia, but all barriers between all possible realms."
Emily paled at the implication.
"Are you saying that reunifying the Codex could cause exactly the catastrophe we're trying to prevent?"
"It's more complex than that," Ryven stood up, his movement strangely fluid. "The fragments must be gathered, but not reintegrated in the way we've assumed. There exists a specific protocol, a precise balance that must be maintained."
Richard processed this information, connecting it with his own experiences with the fragments. Indeed, each integration had been slightly different, revealing new facets of the fragments that suggested a more complex purpose than simple elemental power.
"If this is true," he finally said, "then we need to find the Valley of Echoes with more urgency than ever. The Eternal Sprout wouldn't just be the sixth fragment, but potentially the key to understanding this balance you speak of."
Ryven stored the crystal back among his clothes.
"The Valley is beyond our reach while we remain in the Interstice," he said. "But there exists an alternative path, an Ancestral Node that could allow us to return to our dimension at a point close to the Valley."
"Where is this Node?" asked Emily.
Ryven pointed toward the fragmented horizon, where a formation similar to a perpetual electrical storm shone in indigo and golden tones.
"The Confluence of Echoes, a point where multiple realities overlap so closely that they almost merge into one. It's dangerous, but could be our only way out."
Richard consulted the Transit Prism. When focusing on the idea of Jake and Elliot, the crystal shone in the direction of the storm Ryven had pointed to, at least partially confirming the Xer'thul's information.
"It seems our paths converge in that direction," he observed. "How long will it take us to get there?"
"In this realm, distance is more a question of harmony than physical space," responded Ryven. "With the Prism guiding us, perhaps two days... or what in this place equals such a measure."
Richard perceived something strange in the way Ryven expressed himself, as if he were constantly calculating his words.
"Have you had contact with anyone else during your time here?" he asked directly. "Any Guardians of the Interstices, perhaps?"
Ryven's expression briefly tensed before responding.
"Fleeting encounters. The Guardians are... reticent with the Xer'thul. Ancient rivalries that predate even the Fragmentation."
Another piece of information that didn't match the known history. Richard remembered the Guardian's words about how the Interstice could distort memory and perception. Was Ryven really altered by his prolonged exposure to this place, or was something else happening?
"We should rest before undertaking that journey," suggested Emily, apparently also perceiving the tension. "We need to recover our strength."
Ryven nodded, pointing to niches in the amphitheater tiers that offered shelter.
"I've discovered that certain spaces here are more... stable than others. Those niches seem to resist the dimensional fluctuations that plague the rest of the Interstice."
While preparing an improvised camp, Richard took a moment alone with Emily to share his concerns.
"Something's not right," he murmured. "Ryven seems... different."
"I've noticed," she responded quietly. "His eyes, his way of moving. The Interstice has clearly affected him."
"Or something else has affected him," suggested Richard. "We can't rule out any possibility at this point."
They agreed to maintain discreet vigilance over their former mentor while continuing the journey. The Interstice was dangerous enough without adding uncertainty about their guide's reliability.
That night, while Emily slept and Ryven meditated in apparent trance, Richard carefully extracted the Affinity Compass that Kaelum had given him. Although it had been functioning erratically in the Interstice, he concentrated his energy on stabilizing it, hoping it might offer some independent verification.
```
[Affinity Compass analysis]
[Status: Partially functional in interstitial environment]
[Alignment with Fragments: Conflictive but detectable]
[Anomalous reading: Interference detected, nearby origin]
```
To his surprise, the Compass needles weren't pointing toward the distant storm that Ryven had identified as their destination, but directly at the Xer'thul himself. With growing unease, Richard focused his Echo Vision, activating it minimally to not alert Ryven.
What he saw left him frozen: a strange energetic pattern, like a network of purple filaments, subtly enveloped Ryven's form, concentrating especially around his head and chest. It didn't seem like Organization technology or Voraxia energy, but something different, older and more sophisticated.
Richard quickly deactivated his perception when Ryven seemed to sense his scrutiny, slightly changing position. Suspicion had turned to certainty: something or someone was manipulating their mentor, probably since they arrived at the Interstice.
The question was: who? And where was he really leading them?
## Shadows of Suspicion
The second day of travel toward the perpetual storm was marked by growing tension that none mentioned openly. Richard had discreetly shared his discoveries with Emily, who confirmed having noticed concerning behaviors in Ryven: moments of mental absence, minor contradictions in his explanations, and occasional lapses where he seemed to be listening to voices that no one else could hear.
The landscape they traversed became progressively more chaotic, with fragments of reality that overlapped and collapsed into each other with increasing frequency. At one moment they walked through what appeared to be a desert of bluish crystal; the next, they found themselves wading through a swamp where water flowed upward instead of down.
"The disturbances increase as we approach the Confluence," explained Ryven when a sudden dimensional fluctuation transformed the ground beneath their feet into a mosaic of different terrains. "It's normal. Stability is a relative concept in the Interstice."
Richard carefully monitored both the Transit Prism and his Affinity Compass. While the former continued guiding them toward the storm, the latter showed increasingly erratic behavior, its needles oscillating violently when Ryven was near.
```
[Cross-checking instruments]
[Prism: Stable signal toward Echo Confluence]
[Compass: Growing interference, possible manipulation]
[Recommendation: Additional verification needed]
```
By mid-afternoon (if such a concept made sense in a place where the sky constantly changed between different astronomical phenomena), they reached what Ryven identified as the Fields of Resonance, an extensive plain where giant crystals emerged from the ground like buildings, each emitting a unique tone that together created a hypnotic symphony.
"A fascinating phenomenon," commented the Xer'thul. "These crystals are interdimensional receivers and transmitters. They capture echoes from adjacent realities and transmit them as sound patterns."
Emily approached one of the smaller crystals, her hand almost touching its vibrating surface.
"It's beautiful... but unsettling. It's like hearing a thousand overlapping conversations, none completely comprehensible."
Richard, meanwhile, had been experimenting with a technique he had developed during his rest hours: subtly combining aspects of his Metal-Consciousness and the partially integrated Flame Crystal, he discovered he could create a kind of perceptual filter that allowed him to momentarily see through certain interstitial distortions.
```
[Experimental technique activated]
[Combination: Metal-Consciousness + Fire-Matter]
[Designation: Purifying Truth Vision]
[Mana: 24/72, controlled consumption]
```
Applying this technique while Ryven was distracted explaining something to Emily, Richard finally could clearly see what he had been suspecting: it wasn't that Ryven was simply affected by the Interstice; he was being actively controlled. A tiny, almost microscopic device was embedded at the base of his skull, pulsing with the same purple energy that formed the filaments Richard had detected earlier.
The technology didn't seem Voraxian or human. Recalling the fragmentary information they had received, Richard reached a disturbing conclusion: The Confluence, the mysterious faction that had apparently originally orchestrated the Codex's fragmentation, was using Ryven to guide them... but to where, really?
While considering how to share this discovery with Emily without alerting Ryven, one of the nearby resonant crystals suddenly emitted a different tone, sharper and more focused. To everyone's surprise, a familiar voice emerged from the symphonic cacophony:
"...repeat, if anyone can hear this... Richard, Emily, we're trapped in some kind of observation station. The coordinates according to this equipment would be..." Elliot's voice faded among interference before briefly returning "...section Omega-7 of the Interstice. Repeat, Omega-7..."
The transmission cut off as abruptly as it had begun. Richard and Emily exchanged looks of hope mixed with concern.
"They're alive!" exclaimed Emily.
"And apparently they found some type of interstitial communication equipment," added Richard, carefully observing Ryven's reaction.
The Xer'thul remained impassive for an instant too long before showing an appropriately surprised reaction.
"Omega-7..." he murmured. "It's an ancient designation for one of the most stable sections of the Interstice. If they're there, they could be relatively safe."
"Do you know where it is exactly?" pressed Richard.
Ryven seemed to hesitate, an internal conflict briefly visible in his purple-streaked eyes.
"Not with precision, but..." he consulted what appeared to be a map engraved on a metal plate he extracted from his clothes "it could be in this direction, following the alignment of the major crystals."
Richard noticed that the indicated direction differed significantly from their current route toward the storm.
"We should go for them immediately," declared Emily.
"Impossible," responded Ryven too quickly. "Diverting our route now, when we're so close to the Echo Confluence, would be extremely dangerous. The interstitial currents are reaching their critical alignment point. If we miss it, we could be trapped here indefinitely."
Richard needed a strategy. Directly confronting Ryven while under external control could be disastrous, but blindly following him toward what increasingly seemed like a trap wasn't an option either.
"Perhaps we could split up," he suggested, carefully measuring his words. "You continue toward the Confluence to prepare the transit, while Emily and I search for Jake and Elliot. We would meet you there before the critical point."
Ryven's expression subtly hardened.
"Splitting up in the Interstice means almost certain death for the uninitiated," he responded. "I cannot allow it as your guide and protector."
"But with the Transit Prism we could..." began Emily.
"No!" Ryven interrupted her with an intensity uncharacteristic of him, before softening his tone. "Forgive me. Time in this place... affects temperament. We must stay together. It's the only way to guarantee we all get out of here."
Richard exchanged a significant look with Emily. Ryven's reaction had confirmed his suspicions beyond all doubt.
```
[Confirmation: Ryven under external control]
[Apparent objective: Lead them to specific location]
[Threat: High, sophisticated manipulation]
[Plan: Immediate counter-strategy needed]
```
"You're right, of course," conceded Richard with feigned resignation. "The group's safety is priority. Let's continue toward the Confluence."
They continued their journey through the Fields of Resonance, each giant crystal emitting tones that seemed to respond specifically to their presence. Richard noticed that Emily walked slightly closer to him, allowing him to occasionally murmur instructions without Ryven noticing.
Gradually, they developed an improvised plan. Using the residual bond they shared from the ritual, they could communicate with minimal gestures and expressions, establishing a basic code that would allow them to coordinate when the time came to act.
At nightfall (or what passed for night in this realm where multiple celestial bodies appeared and disappeared capriciously), they established camp in the space between two particularly large crystals that seemed to create a zone of relative stability.
While Ryven prepared what he had identified as safe plants for consumption in the Interstice, Richard discreetly activated the Affinity Compass, focusing specifically on the signal they had caught from Elliot. To his surprise, the instrument responded with unusual precision for this environment, one of its secondary needles pointing firmly in a perpendicular direction to their current route.
"I need to check something," he murmured to Emily as he moved away from the camp with the excuse of looking for water in a small crystalline stream nearby.
Once out of immediate sight, Richard extracted the Transit Prism and, remembering the Guardian's instructions, concentrated intensely on the image of Jake and Elliot, on his need to find them.
The crystal responded by pulsing with an intense blue glow, momentarily projecting what appeared to be a three-dimensional map of the surrounding area where a luminous point blinked about five kilometers away, in the same direction the Compass had indicated.
```
[Triangulation completed]
[Jake/Elliot location: Confirmed, 5.2 km northwest]
[Estimated time on foot: 3-4 hours in interstitial conditions]
[Compatibility with current route: 82° deviation from Ryven's course]
```
The evidence was definitive: Ryven was deliberately leading them away from their friends, toward an unknown destination. The question remained: confront him or deceive him?
The decision was made by unforeseen circumstances. Upon returning to camp, Richard found Emily alone, with a tense and vigilant expression.
"Ryven said he detected some kind of anomaly and went to investigate," she informed in a low voice. "He was behaving strangely, more erratic than before."
"This could be our only opportunity," Richard quickly responded. "I found them. Jake and Elliot are about three or four hours in that direction," he pointed. "We need to move now, while Ryven is absent."
Emily nodded, quickly gathering her essential belongings.
"What do you think happened to him exactly?" she asked as they prepared to leave. "Is it really The Confluence?"
"I'm not sure," admitted Richard. "But there's a control device in his brain. Whoever is controlling him is leading us into a trap."
They left a cryptic message that only the real Ryven could understand, in case part of his consciousness was still present and fighting against the control. Then, guided by the Transit Prism and the Affinity Compass, they ventured into the interstitial night, where stars from different universes blinked in impossible patterns and auroras of unimaginable colors danced between fragmented dimensions.
The true nature of their situation was beginning to emerge: not only were they lost in a realm between realities, but trapped in a game of manipulations where The Confluence, The Organization, and the Voraxia represented only the visible actors in a much more complex cosmic drama.
And somewhere beyond the Interstice, the Valley of Eternal Echoes and the sixth fragment waited, now more distant than ever.
```
[Current status: In flight]
[Immediate objective: Locate Jake and Elliot]
[Secondary objective: Find exit from the Interstice]
[Primary objective postponed: Acquisition of the Eternal Sprout]
[Estimated delay time: Undetermined, multiple variables]
[New threats identified: The Confluence (confirmed), Ryven (compromised)]
[Veil status: Unknown from current position]
```
Behind them, a figure silently observed their departure from the top of a resonant crystal. Ryven's eyes, now completely purple, glowed with inhuman knowledge as he activated a hidden interstitial communication device.
"The Bearers have deviated from the prescribed path," he reported to an invisible presence. "Initiate secondary containment protocol."
The spiral of events had become exponentially more complicated, and the path to the sixth fragment had just become much longer and more dangerous than anyone had anticipated.