The city of Velmora ceased to function precisely at 19:13 hours. Not metaphorically, but literally. Birds halted mid-flight, and rain suspended in the air as if composed of scattered crystals. Citizens remained motionless in the streets, their expressions frozen between moments. Even the flames in fires ceased to flicker. Time itself appeared to have stopped. At the centre of the city square stood a young woman, not older than twenty, gazing around in horror. An unsteady golden light flickered from her eyes.
"I…" Her voice trembled intensely. "What have I done…?" No response was forthcoming, as nothing moved except her. The girl staggered backwards, fear increasing with every second. As her fear intensified, the golden aura surrounding her pulsed more strongly. Nearby, a clock tower cracked—not from force, but from a distortion of time, causing its hands to spin chaotically before disintegrating altogether.
The girl clutched her head, pleading, "Please stop." Yet, her power only intensified. Suddenly, a voice spoke calmly and gently from behind her, "You need to breathe." She immediately turned around.
A woman stood there, unaffected by the frozen environment. She had silver hair and a black coat, with pale, glowing eyes that did not share the time freeze. The young woman's fear heightened. "Who are you?" she demanded. The silver-haired woman offered a slight smile.
"Someone who understands what you are becoming." The girl retreated further. "I did not mean to harm anyone."
The silver-haired woman surveyed the frozen cityscape. "This typically occurs during initial awakenings." The term 'awakenings' felt unfamiliar and almost nightmarish to the young woman. Whispering, she asked, "Why is this happening to me?" The woman's expression softened slightly.
"Because the system has begun expanding." At that moment, somewhere far away, Lyra sensed the disturbance. She sat upright in bed in Balance Haven, her breathing irregular. Kael awoke immediately beside her.
"What happened?" Lyra asked, pressing her hand against her chest. "I sensed another anomaly." Rylan entered the hallway, half-awake. "Please assure me that reality is not ending again." A stranger appeared shortly thereafter, but his expression indicated that he already understood.
"Another anomaly has been awakened." Lyra nodded slowly. "This one appears stronger." Her brand mark burned with pain, and new symbols emerged beneath the existing number—two lights, one silver and one gold, along with a new presence.
"Elias, and someone new," Rylan observed. "Now it appears to be tracking individuals?" The stranger's voice lowered. "The network is stabilising." Lyra frowned. "What does that imply?"
"It indicates the system is no longer creating random anomalies."
Silence followed until Kael deduced, "It is targeting compatible individuals." Exactly—people capable of surviving system evolution. Consequently, future awakenings are likely to become more dangerous. Lyra immediately stood.
"We must find her." Rylan asked, "You already know she is a girl?" Lyra touched the gold symbol on her mark. "I can sense her fear." The statement caused concern among all present, as her connection to the expanding anomaly network deepened—becoming more natural and instinctive.
The stranger approached. "If your connection continues to strengthen…" Lyra looked at him. "You believe I will become the focal point of the network?" He did not respond, and that silence was confirmation. Kael drew his weapon.
"We must act immediately." Hours later, outside Velmora City, the four individuals arrived and immediately ceased all movement.
The city remained completely still—no sound, no movement, not even wind. Rylan stared in disbelief. "That is quite alarming." Kael touched a frozen leaf suspended in the air; it remained suspended. Reality itself appeared to be paused. The stranger's eyes narrowed.
"Such a level of distortion should not be possible during an initial awakening." Lyra perceived it clearly now: the girl within was not malevolent but overwhelmed by uncontrollable power. She sensed another presence within the city—cold, controlled, observing—the silver-haired woman.
Lyra's expression shifted instantly. "We are not the first here." The stranger responded immediately, "Authority?" Lyra shook her head slowly. "No." "Worse," she replied. Rylan asked, "How could that be worse?" Lyra gazed toward the frozen city centre. "Because she seems… human." That realisation frightened her more than the entities, because humans made choices, and those choices brought unpredictability. Suddenly, the city trembled—the pulse of golden light erupted from the centre, rapidly spreading and distorting time through the streets.
Kael quickly pulled Lyra to safety before the wave reached her. The stranger expanded shadow protection. Rylan retreated quickly, lightning-fast. Despite their efforts, the wave nearly engulfed them. When it subsided, an entire section of the city behind them had aged hundreds of years in an instant. Buildings crumbled, trees withered, and stones cracked.
Rylan observed silently, recognising the severity. Lyra moved forward cautiously.
"No," she declared, narrowing her eyes toward the city centre. "She needs to be rescued." She sensed the presence again—watching, waiting. Suddenly, a woman's voice echoed through the frozen streets.
"Interesting." Silence returned before the voice continued, "So, you are the original anomaly." A silver-haired woman stepped from the frozen air, smiling directly at Lyra. She bore a bond mark, too.