"I know that man. No, I know the face. The Purge calls him Ziro," Lila said quietly. "He is rumoured to be the founder. The one who started everything many years ago."
Nobody moved.
Kelvin's scanner stayed frozen in his hands. Diana's breathing had stopped completely, her chest locked mid-inhale. Noah felt his heart hammering against his ribs, each beat too loud in his own ears.
"Wait," Kelvin said finally. "The founder? You mean the guy who—"
"Started the Purge what, like thirty years ago? Yeah." Lila's voice was flat, emotionless. "I never saw him when I was involved. My parents talked about Ziro like he was a ghost. The visionary. The one who understood that humanity needed to stop fighting the Harbingers and accept divine judgment."
"That's Arthur," Noah said. His mouth felt dry. "The Eighth Ancestor. He's the one who trapped Lucas. The one we fought before."
