The Court fell silent.
Not respectfully.
Not cautiously.
Fearfully.
Even the Keepers—beings who judged Origin and sealed the Unmade—stood still.
Because the voice that spoke—
Didn't belong to existence.
It belonged to design.
Who authorized a new principle?
The words didn't echo.
They replaced sound itself.
Adrian looked up.
Curious.
Not afraid.
"…I did."
Lyra whispered,
"…Of course he answered that."
Kaelith didn't speak.
Because analysis had failed long ago.
Seraphine held her breath.
Aria muttered,
"…We're really doing this."
Elara stepped beside Adrian.
Close.
Ready.
"…Stand firm."
The sky of the Court—
Split again.
Not torn.
Opened.
Perfectly.
Beyond it—
Something waited.
Shapes descended.
Three.
Each indistinct.
Not because they lacked form—
Because form couldn't contain them.
The Architects.
Where Keepers were law—
Architects were intention.
Where Origin was beginning—
Architects were why.
Lyra whispered,
