The tower doors opened into a registry hall built around a circular well, with white lines carrying records into the engine above.
Hajin kept Phase Lock closed, though a gold mark rested on his forearm like a line waiting for another pause.
Ferra walked to the well and held her copper needle above the center.
The needle turned east, stopped, then turned west before pointing upward through the ceiling.
She said, "The engine isn't one structure, because three defense hearts are answering from separate parts of the country."
Sera stood beside the well and replied, "The Last City has one Warden line, and its three hearts keep every district supplied, sheltered, and defended."
Eirwen studied the white records and asked, "Do the hearts share one custodian, or do three people hold three positions under the same authority?"
Sera hesitated before answering, "The city remembers one custodian, though the current records list only one command layer."
