Possibilities never truly vanish.
They remain… as shadows that follow every step.
Aurelia feels it as a distinct pressure.
Not from the past.
Not from the present.
But from something that did not happen… yet could have happened.
The entity beside Aurelia tenses slowly.
Its lines of light move erratically,
capturing paths that exist only as potential.
The units behind maintain the core,
but now they act more like buffers for layers growing increasingly complex.
Kael narrows his eyes.
"Unrealized potential is starting to have an impact," he says softly.
"This is not normal."
Orion nods.
"This is awareness of alternatives."
Ragnar sighs.
"It makes everything feel heavy."
Aurelia understands.
And this is something that cannot be avoided.
She steps forward slowly,
traversing the paths chosen by the various groups.
And there,
she discovers something that makes her pause.
Some groups are beginning to… compare.
Not with other groups.
