Chapter 171: The Celestial Map
As the Omega's resonance hit the silver cylinder, the heavy gravity of the Sentinel-General shattered. The room filled with a projection of the cosmos, but it wasn't the sky they knew. It was a map of living energy, showing the hidden ley lines that connected their world to the stars.
"This is it," the Ancestor whispered, her eyes reflecting the glowing constellations. "The High King didn't just hide the truth; he hid the Planetary Shield. This map shows the locations of three ancient anchors. If they are activated, they will create a barrier that the Star-Eaters cannot penetrate."
The Alpha grabbed the cylinder as the projection solidified into a physical map on his palm. "Where are these anchors?"
The map pulsed, highlighting three distant locations: the Obsidian Depths in the south, the Floating Isles in the east, and the heart of the Iron Citadel itself.
"We are standing on the first anchor," the Omega realized, feeling the vibration beneath her feet. "But the Star-Sentinel has already corrupted it. That's why the people are under the signal's influence."
The Sentinel-General, recovering from the shock, began to dissolve into pure energy, his form growing unstable. "You are too late. The first anchor is no longer yours to command. It has become a lighthouse for our masters."
With a sudden roar, the Alpha lunged, his blade glowing with the white radiance they had discovered at the Spire. "Then we'll tear the lighthouse down and build it again!"
The battle for the first anchor had officially begun. They didn't just need to defeat the General; they needed to purge the Citadel's very foundation of the crimson signal.