Chapter 70 The King and the Shadow
Julian Vane closed his book and stood up, his movements graceful despite his supposed age.
He looked at us—a group of bedraggled, powerless wolves and one terrified human scientist—with a look of genuine curiosity.
"So this is the Great Sovereign," Vane mused, walking toward us.
"The one who broke the Aegis and sang to the desert.
You look remarkably human without your silver light, my dear.
"
"And you look remarkably mortal for someone who has lived four hundred years," I countered, my hand moving to the hilt of my dagger.
Vane laughed, a soft, dry sound. "Oh, I am mortal.
Very much so. That is why I built all of this.
The 'Dead Zone' isn't to keep you out, Elara. It’s to keep them away.
The Architects cannot see what doesn't pulse with their own energy.
Inside this garden, we are invisible to the Hive.
"
"At what cost?" Killian stepped forward, his fists clenched.
"You’re letting the rest of the world burn to save a few acres of glass and steel.
"
"The world was always meant to burn, Alpha," Vane said, his voice turning cold.
"The Harvest is a natural cycle. The Architects are simply the forest fire that clears the way for new growth.
I am merely ensuring that the seeds are preserved.
"
He gestured to the Prime Node—a massive, transparent column in the center of the garden, filled with swirling white energy.
"The Prime Node is the master key. It doesn't just shield the city; it records it.
Every person in Aethelgard, every piece of data, every DNA sequence is being uploaded into the Node.
When the Architects leave, I will use that data to rebuild.
A perfect world. A world without the 'chaos' of magic.
"
"You're not saving the world, Vane," I said, stepping into his space.
"You're digitizing a graveyard. The people out there aren't 'data.
' They’re alive."
"For now," Vane said.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, silver remote.
"But if you try to take the Node, the Dead Zone will collapse.
The Hive will see us. And the Harvest will begin with you. "