The Void Walkers

Abigail keeps vigil through the night, wrestling with grief that the real Bryce has killed her idealized version. Gregory visits with chess and practical wisdom. By day three Bryce walks to the window—and Abigail brings news of energy fluctuations at the northern nexus. Vera is moving.

Vera escapes when Mina collapses and Elias's transformation fails. Elias reverts to human, aged to his late twenties. Gregory assesses the aftermath—a tactical victory but Vera still threatens sixteen nexus points.

In the aftermath of Vera's attack, Gregory confronts devastating casualties—73 dead, 140 wounded. Lyria confesses she sensed an anomalous pulse thirty years ago but chose comfort over suspicion. She confirms the seals are degrading, though Vera's solution would accelerate collapse.

Gregory leads rapid response team via teleportation to Dark Citadel. Find Abigail defending against black-robed attackers called the Liberators conducting ritual to tear open seal and release Dark Citadel Void Walker. Desperate battle ensues as reality itself begins to tear at seams.

Gregory observes training from ramparts, attends war council where Mina reveals seal sabotage, confronts Lord Kael dissent, receives emergency citadel attack report, teleports with strike team to desert battle. Tam revealed as Oldstone Abbey survivor with personal stake in fighting seal breaches.