Chapter 17: The Grid of Contention
Lance and Opal successfully smuggled the second textbook out of the Debris Vault—a seemingly dull volume titled Foundational Farm Yields of the Outer Sector. The moment they were free of the Research Quarters, they rushed to the safety of the service tunnels to meet Kian.
Kian was delighted, less by the historical significance of the book and more by the confirmation of his theory.
"Two books, two layers of lies," Kian announced, setting up his decoding rig. He had upgraded his external stabilizer with components scavenged during Lance's earlier siphon attempt, making it slightly quieter and more efficient.
"Opal, same drill. I need the chaotic signal to flood the local sensors, and Lance, you apply the Nullification field."
Opal focused on the same annoying jingle and unleashed her volatile, high-frequency surge into the copper pipe. Lance activated the Chronometer of Silence, pushing his 6% precision to maintain the delicate balance between the Nullification field and the textbook's surface.
The second book's obfuscation peeled away, and the glossy cover revealed a new layer of the Aetherium's secret blueprint.
The New Revelation
The first book showed the Aetherium as a centralized power core. The second book revealed something far more crucial: the Stabilization Grid.
Instead of a simple hub-and-spoke system, the schematic revealed a vast, subterranean lattice of interlocking energy lines, connecting the Aetherium to specific points in the Mundane world. These lines weren't for power transfer; they were for Rift Management.
Every point on the grid was a Controlled Rift Anchor, stabilizing the boundary between the magical and mundane worlds. The energy flowing through them wasn't raw Mote power, but pure, directed Stability Force.
Lance traced the diagram with his eyes, translating the visual schematic into the high, crystalline language. He recognized the pattern now: the language was less about history and more about engineering. It was the operational manual for the entire Aetherium.
"It's a web," Lance whispered, the sound of the structural language ringing clearly in his mind. "The whole Aetherium isn't just one stabilizer; it's a massive, segmented Stabilization Grid. Every line is a controlled Rift Anchor."
Kian leaned in, his eyes gleaming with ambition. "Controlled Rift Anchors? That means the Aetherium isn't a school built near a magic source; it is the containment system for the entire continent's magical boundary."
"And look at this section," Lance pointed to a series of redundant nodes in the diagram. "These are maintenance reroutes. They show the specific pathways the Stabilizers used to fix instability without shutting down the entire grid."
Opal released her surge, and the textbook went dark. She was visibly excited. "If we know the reroute paths, Kian can bypass the standard security checkpoints to get to the core, right?"
"Better," Kian corrected, a chillingly opportunistic smile spreading across his face. "If we know the reroute paths, we know where the network's defenses are weakest. The entire system is designed to stop large-scale siphoning—raw power draws. But it's not designed to detect minute, precise sabotage."
He looked at Lance, his plan already forming. "The Reroute Paths all converge on the Aethelgard Clock Tower—the oldest structure on campus, which houses the primary master valve for the entire grid. That tower is the nerve center."
Kian grabbed his external stabilizer and began packing it. "My plan was to bleed the system slowly. But now we have a better target. Lance, your unique skill isn't dampening; it's imposing order on chaos. You can use your precision to activate one of those reroute points without tripping the alarm."
"Why would we reroute the grid?" Lance asked, cautious.
"Because the master valve in the Clock Tower controls the stability of the entire Aetherium," Kian explained, his eyes narrowed. "I can't get into the tower without triggering every alarm. But if the system believes a segment of the grid is unstable and attempts a defensive reroute, it will automatically open the Clock Tower's access locks."
Kian's proposal was terrifying: Lance needed to intentionally destabilize a portion of the grid, then immediately apply his 6% precision to control the ensuing chaos, tricking the Aetherium into opening the tower for them.
"The flaw is in the defense," Kian concluded. "We use Lance's precision to exploit the system's reliance on stability. The Aetherium will open the door for its own defense."
Lance felt the weight of the plan settle over him. He wasn't just fixing broken clocks anymore; he was tampering with the foundational stability of the Aetherium. But the Clock Tower held the key to the Master Stabilizer's secrets, and he had to know the truth.