Within the sanctuary of the most magnificent pyramid at the heart of Tizca lay the psychic array that protected the entire city.
For nearly a century, this ancient device from the Dark Age of Technology had sheltered the people of Tizca.
To ensure the psychic array continued functioning, the Tizca Council had established a robust system.
Every day, one hundred rigorously trained psykers entered the sarcophagi connected to the psychic array, continuously channeling their psychic energy to the array's core.
Although this rotational method of power supply was relatively safe, it still placed a tremendous burden on the psykers.
After each duty shift, participants needed several weeks of rest to fully recover. The weaker psykers could even die in the sarcophagi from accidents.
Therefore, the duty roster was meticulously arranged to ensure the average psychic level of the psykers on shift wasn't too low.
Every psyker had to serve in the sanctuary twice a year, the nine Masters included.
For eighty-one years, this system had never failed.
"Theod, Owen."
Kayan's gaze lingered on the names on the roster, and he frowned when he read them.
Tizca's population wasn't large, and its psyker population even smaller. They all knew each other.
Both Theod and Owen were well-known Libertines, whose advocated theories completely contradicted those of Kayan's teacher, the Conservative faction.
Kayan frowned: "You swapped shifts with Darr and Reeves?"
Theod nodded, "Yes. They weren't feeling well and couldn't serve, so they asked us to fill in."
Although duty was mandatory, as it concerned the safety of the entire city, swapping shifts was permitted.
This created loopholes for many. Wealthy citizens, for instance, often hired poorer citizens to serve in their place.
The Tizca Commune was simply too democratic.
Theod and Darr had just swapped shifts normally; Kayan couldn't find fault with it.
But the timing was too coincidental.
It just so happened that the Masters were returning tomorrow, and Theod was on duty today. It was too much of a coincidence.
Kayan still warned him sternly, "Listen, Theod. You can debate eloquently in the council and preach freedom on the streets."
"But everything has its limits. The psychic array isn't about faction. It concerns Tizca's very survival. It must not fail!"
"The Masters will return tomorrow. They will bring the truth to Tizca."
"Whatever your demands, you can raise them at tomorrow's council meeting!"
Though threatened, Theod wasn't angry. He even smiled at Kayan. "Rest assured, I know my limits."
"The psychic array is the only defence against the Psychneuein. I wouldn't endanger the entire city just for freedom."
"I'm serving today only so I can relentlessly question the council next week."
"I hope you truly know your limits." Kayan frowned, not entirely believing him.
One hundred psykers entered the sarcophagi one after another. Doctor Rosalind would administer anaesthetics.
These drugs would keep them unconscious for 24 hours; otherwise, the 24 hours would be too tedious and prone to accidents.
After they entered the sarcophagi, the hundred psykers from the previous day's shift would be woken, ensuring a continuous energy supply.
Kayan: "Good work, everyone. Your duty is over. You'll need to rest for the next week. Avoid any strenuous activity."
A day of duty had left all these psykers pale and listless, but some still managed to joke weakly.
"Come on, Kayan, it's not our first time. Instead of listening to you lecture here, why not give us our credits so we can go home and rest?"
Kayan said, "You can't leave yet. You have to undergo a full medical examination first. The credits will be given to you in a week."
The medical examination was for their safety. Someone had once died suddenly the day after their duty ended.
The reason was that they had expended too much psychic energy during their shift and then eagerly used a large amount of credits to indulge in pleasures the next day.
After that, a full medical examination became mandatory after duty, and the credits earned would also be released a week later.
Kayan strictly performed his duty, patrolling the corridor outside the medical room to prevent anyone from avoiding the examination.
But the examination should have been handled by the senior physician, Collin. Yet only his assistant, Rosalind, was busy.
"Rosalind, where's Collin?"
The young female doctor responded gently, "Teacher Collin had something urgent to attend to. Don't worry about me. I can manage on my own."
Kayan frowned deeply. He wasn't worried about Rosalind.
The physical examinations were mostly done by instruments. Rosalind just needed to operate them. It was very simple.
'But why were so many people absent today of all days?'
For some reason, Kayan felt an inexplicable unease, as if something unexpected was about to happen.
But the psychic array had operated without fault for decades and underwent routine checks every day. What could go wrong?
"Andy!" Kayan called out to a man just leaving the medical room.
Andy looked at him quizzically. "What's wrong? You look terrible."
"I want to ask you all to stay here. My teacher and the others will return to Tizca tomorrow. I'm worried something might happen."
"You're worried about Theod?"
"Yes." Kayan didn't hide it.
"Any evidence?"
"If I had evidence, I would have arrested them already. This is just a precaution."
"I know this is a difficult request. I can personally offer you credits as compensation, equivalent to one-third of the duty allowance."
Andy's eyes widened in surprise. "Where do you have so many credits?"
"I don't, but my teacher does. I have the authority to use them."
"Having a Master as a mentor sure lets you be willful!"
Andy sighed, then his expression quickly turned serious. "I'll pass the word along, but I can't guarantee everyone will agree to stay."
"Forget the credits. It's also to ensure all our safety."
"No. Public matters are public, private matters are private. I won't short you a single credit!"
"Andy." Andy clapped Kayan heavily on the shoulder. "You're an honest man, and honest men tend to get taken advantage of."
Eighty-one people, including Andy, chose to stay.
Most stayed for the allowance. Why not get one-third of the duty allowance for doing nothing?
Though if something did happen, they'd have to step up.
But the probability of something happening was too small. Nothing had happened for so many years. How likely was it now?
They all thought Kayan was being too paranoid.
Rosalind thought so too.
"Just as Theod predicted," Rosalind murmured inwardly.
Theod had foreseen it long ago: Kayan's prejudice against the Libertines would make him the most stubborn obstacle to the plan.
'Kayan would never understand. Only Theod was right!'
He was so focused on watching Theod that he forgot to be wary of her.
Who would suspect a harmless-looking female doctor?
In Theod's plan, she was the core.
No one outside the Libertines' inner circle knew she was also a Libertine.
She was the Libertines' sharpest blade.
Today, she would personally sever the chains of lies!
But Rosalind didn't act immediately. She meticulously completed all the tasks at hand, then unhurriedly made her way to the core area.
That was where the psykers' sarcophagi were located.
"Doctor Rosalind, is something wrong?" The guards at the entrance to the core area stopped her.
"Rao in Pod 72 has an abnormal heart rate. I need to check if his load parameters are exceeded."
The two guards exchanged a look, then chose to let her through.
As a physician, Rosalind was indeed responsible for ensuring the safety of those on duty. There had been cases of shock caused by psychic overload.
In Tizca, every life was precious.
If they stopped Rosalind from saving someone, and that person died, they would also be held responsible.
Still, they sent one guard to accompany Rosalind. Standard procedure.
"Rosalind, how is he?"
Rosalind stared intently at the vital signs of Pod 72 on her medical data slate, not looking up as she answered the guard's question.
"Not good. He probably didn't rest much in the week before his shift."
While explaining, she subtly increased the pod's output power.
With that adjustment, Pod 72's vital signs plummeted, and the medical data slate began beeping an alarm.
Rosalind's expression changed. "Oh no, his life might be in danger. We need to get him out as quickly as possible!"
The Guard asked, "But what about the psychic array?"
"Kayan kept yesterday's shift team here. They're in the medical area. Go get them to come as replacements!"
"Quickly! Time is of the essence!"
Hearing this, the guard immediately turned and rushed towards the medical area, leaving Rosalind alone.
Now, with only Rosalind in the core area, she could do whatever she wanted.
Ignoring Pod 72, whose vital signs were still declining, she walked directly to Theod's Pod 99.
The sarcophagi could not be opened from the inside, and opening them from the outside also required a key.
Only Kayan and a very few others held the key.
But medical officers could intervene in an emergency when the vital signs of the person in the sarcophagus dropped sharply.
By faking signs of flatlined vital signs, she could force the sarcophagus open.
Rosalind was a doctor. This was easy for her.
Click!
With a mechanical sound, the sarcophagus's sealing mechanism disengaged, and the lid slowly slid open.
Theod's eyes snapped open. He pushed himself up and climbed out.
His movements were quick and decisive, completely unaffected by the anaesthetic.
Because the anaesthetic Rosalind had injected them with was fake.
After Theod, seven others climbed out of their sarcophagi.
Owen asked, "Theod, what do we do now?"
Theod said, "Follow the original plan. First, destroy the psychic array."
"Rosalind, send the signal to Group B. They are to seize control of the Propaganda Department immediately."
Their division was clear; this was clearly long in the making.
By the time the guard returned with Andy, they were already standing before the psychic array's Cogitator control terminal.
Unlocking the control terminal also required a key, but that wasn't a problem for Theod. He had already learned the key from his visions.
Owen and the others blocked Andy and the guards, who could only watch helplessly.
"Theod, what are you doing?"
Amidst Andy's furious shouts, Theod calmly gave his answer.
"Revolution."
BOOM!
The core of the psychic array overloaded and exploded in a dazzling blue flash. Torrents of energy poured out like a breached dam.
Theod could have simply shut it down, but then it could be restarted at any time.
As long as the psychic array existed, people would never truly be free.
It had been numbing the people with a false sense of security, becoming a cancer within Tizca.
Only by completely destroying it, cutting out the rotten flesh, could the people bravely embrace freedom!
An invisible wave of psychic energy rippled outwards, rapidly sweeping across the entire city, even reaching dozens of kilometers beyond Tizca.
Simultaneously, the force field that had protected the city for decades silently dissipated.
It had always been invisible. When it vanished, the residents of Tizca remained completely unaware.
"Theod, you madman! You'll kill everyone!"
Andy's eyes were bloodshot. Even held back by Owen, he still cursed furiously.
"The Psychneuein are a lie. Tizca doesn't need its protection. And I will prove that to you."
"Theod!" Rosalind suddenly screamed in terror.
Theod turned to face her pale face. Her voice trembled. "They... they're all dead."
On her medical data slate, the vital signs of those in the sarcophagi had flatlined.
When the psychic array overloaded, the psykers inside were instantly killed by the backlash, not even having time to scream.
This wasn't in their plan. They hadn't intended to kill anyone.
When completing the plan, Rosalind had wanted to free these people, to let them witness freedom together.
How could they die?
"Theod, the plan wasn't supposed to be like this!"
"This is a necessary sacrifice." Theod's expression was calm. He had already seen this in his visions.
But their sacrifice was meaningful. The Conservatives had killed them.
Rosalind's eyes were filled with disbelief, as if seeing the person before her clearly for the first time.
...
"Theod!"
Kayan's fist slammed heavily against the wall. The alarm from the sanctuary nearly drove him mad.
He had been careful enough, but he never imagined the Libertines would be so crazy.
If they wanted to die, fine, but now they were dragging the whole city down with them!
Izara's face was full of worry at his sudden outburst. "Brother, what's wrong?"
Kayan forced himself to suppress his rage. "Those Libertine madmen have destroyed the psychic array!"
Izara's face turned pale. She understood clearly what that meant.
"Izara, go to the underground shelter immediately. No matter who calls you, don't leave!"
"What about you, brother?"
"I have to go to the Propaganda Department. Use the broadcast to warn the other residents to take shelter. The Psychneuein could attack at any moment. We don't have much time!"
Before Kayan could leave, Tizca's broadcast system emitted a burst of harsh static.
Szzzt!
Then, a voice Kayan hated came through.
"All citizens of Tizca, this is Theod, leader of the Libertines."
"I have good news for you. Five minutes ago, we completely destroyed the psychic array!"
"Please do not panic. This is not a disaster. The so-called threat of the Psychneuein is a colossal lie fabricated by the Council!"
"Look outside the city. There are no swarms, no death. Only a peaceful world!"
"What we destroyed is not a guarantee of safety, but the shackles imprisoning your freedom!"
When Kayan and Izara ran into the street, the broadcast had made every Tizcan stop and listen.
Even in Tizca, conspiracy theories had always been popular.
Kayan wanted to urge people to head for the shelters, but Izara tugged his sleeve, her voice trembling. "Brother, up in the sky... what is that?"
Kayan looked up. Above the blue sky, a vast, blinding black cloud was rapidly descending upon Tizca.
Many thought it was rain, but it wasn't a storm cloud.
Kayan could no longer care about anything else. He grabbed his sister's arm and ran, pushing through the crowd.
The girl stumbled a few steps, her pale face full of terror.
The Conservatives were the first to realise the disaster was upon them, because they had always believed in the disaster's existence, and now it was real.
"Brother..."
"Run, Izara, run! Don't look back!"
Kayan was practically dragging Izara towards the nearest shelter.
His teacher and the others were returning tomorrow, but they had to survive today first!
....
"Is it going to rain?"
Amon looked up. The sky, which had been blue not long ago, was now covered by dark clouds.
Magnus said gravely, "It's the Psychneuein."
Everyone's face changed. "How can there be so many?"
The number wasn't just thousands or tens of thousands. It was millions, hundreds of millions!
Caelan said, "They've eaten everything else in the world. How could there not be many?"
"The question is, why are they gathering?"
Why do predators gather?
Because there's prey. Because it's feeding time.
But they had already cleaned out Prospero. Where else was there to eat?
Mephia's voice was hoarse. "That direction... is Tizca."
They had already guessed. Something terrible had happened in Tizca!
No one dared entertain any sense of complacency. Tizca was Prospero's only city. The Psychneuein's target could only be Tizca.
For eighty-one years, Tizca had remained safe. Why did something have to happen today?
Amon asked, "Vennakar, has Kayan contacted you?"
Vennakar shook his head. "No."
Magnus assumed, "That means he can't reach us right now."
Caelan looked at the rolling mass of dark clouds. They were flying extremely fast. They would soon leave them far behind.
"We won't make it in time. By the time we get back to Tizca, there may be no one left alive."
The number of Psychneuein was simply too great. There wouldn't be enough Tizcans to go around.
In less than a day, perhaps just a few hours, Tizca would become a dead city.
Even if any survivors remained, they would have already been infested with Psychneuein eggs.
The Masters felt a sense of despair. They had risked going out to save Prospero, endured countless hardships to find the 'hole'.
And now, they looked back to find their home gone.
Magnus stared at the statue in the cart. He had a way to return to Tizca immediately, but it was very risky.
And this might very well be His purpose.
....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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