The immediate aftermath was dominated by the logistics of sovereignty. Elder Soriel's Cartographer contingent enforced a rapid, silent protocol. Silus and the two injured former Enforcers were moved to the Hush House for spiritual recovery. Elder Thorne and The Collector were officially taken into Cartographer custody for interrogation regarding their unauthorized operations—though Elias knew this was temporary, strategic imprisonment.
The Council's Assessment
Elder Soriel initiated a formal, ritualistic assessment of the Keystone Anchor. She placed calibrated obsidian sensors on the mausoleum, the Lodge foundation, and the North Crypt—analyzing the spiritual heartbeat of the territory.
"Your results are extraordinary, Keeper Vance," Soriel stated, reviewing the sensor data displayed on a small, shimmering tablet. "The Keystone Anchor, which should be catastrophically unstable, is operating at 104% efficiency. The Rite of Self-Refuting Essence purged the instability, and the reinforced lineage link has consolidated the spiritual flow."
"However," Soriel continued, her gaze unwavering, "you eliminated two operatives, captured three, permanently contained one of our highest-ranking researchers (Dr. Reyes), and weaponized the town's defensive magic. You are an agent of profound chaos."
Elias presented the Ledger. It glowed with a powerful, commanding white light—radiating the sheer spiritual weight of the reinforced lineage. He could no longer feel the subtle movements of the Veil, but the book confirmed his absolute, quantifiable command.
"I acted to prevent the weaponization of the Keystone by the Scythers," Elias countered, his voice steady. "My actions were necessary and successful in maintaining the prime directive: The Balance is Maintained."
The Verdict: Formalized Sovereignty
Elder Soriel accepted the undeniable proof of the Ledger. The political and metaphysical reality was clear: Elias held the only proof of the stabilized Anchor, and his lineage was magically impregnable.
"The Council's verdict is one of necessity," Soriel declared. She snapped a ceremonial stave in half, performing a Rite that formally separated Elias from the Council's direct interference.
"The Vance Line is not terminated. It is formalized."
Soriel presented Elias with the official decree, written on parchment that pulsed with faint, regulated energy:
> Decree of Formalized Keystone Sovereignty
> * Status: Elias Vance is confirmed as the rightful Keystone Gatekeeper (K-GK).
> * Protocol: The Vance Anchor Point is designated a Sovereign Territory (Protocol Delta-Omega). The Cartographers will not interfere without explicit K-GK request.
> * Mandate: The K-GK is responsible for the defense and maintenance of the Keystone Anchor and its immediate regional network.
> * Recruitment: The K-GK is mandated to recruit a Supportive Cohort for maintenance and defense.
> * Tribute: The K-GK will provide the Council with monthly Veil Stabilization Reports and the occasional Validated Eradication Rite (from Volume II).
>
Elias was promoted to the sovereign ruler of a rogue magical state.
"You are now isolated, Elias," Soriel warned, her voice suddenly softer, tinged with respect. "We send supplies, but no resources or personnel. Your chaotic methods stay within your territory. You have the authority you fought for, but you bear the entire burden of the Keystone."
She glanced at the sealed North Crypt. "We will send an unmanned satellite drone to monitor the L-AA containment and Dr. Reyes. But they are your problem now."
The New Cohort
With Soriel and the Cartographers gone, the spiritual dome lifted, and the threat seemingly neutralized, Elias focused on fulfilling his new mandate: building the Supportive Cohort.
He went to the Hush House to speak with Silus, who was recovering well under the Anchor Stabilizer's gentle hum.
"Silus," Elias said, placing the decree on the table. "I'm the Keystone Gatekeeper now. I need a Groundskeeper and Tactical Advisor for the Sovereign Territory. The job is permanent, and the risk is now global."
Silus, the veteran of the cemetery, smiled—the first genuine smile Elias had seen. "I've waited sixty years for that promotion, Gatekeeper. It's time someone ran this place properly."
Next, Elias approached the two Cartographer Enforcers, who had been left unguarded near the Lodge—a deliberate move by Soriel.
"Elder Thorne sacrificed you," Elias stated. "The Council is leaving you to take the fall. I offer you full exoneration and permanent positions as my Keystone Enforcers—responsible for perimeter defense and enforcement of Protocol Delta-Omega."
The two Enforcers, facing disgrace and severance from their previous life, readily nodded their acceptance, seeing a chance for redemption under a new, powerful authority.
The Final Decision: The Research Analyst
Elias's final, and most crucial, recruitment was The Collector. Soriel had taken them into custody, but Elias knew where they would be transported: a temporary holding facility near the edge of the regional network.
Elias walked to the Study and called his newly established Keystone Enforcers.
"We are enacting Protocol Sigma: Resource Acquisition," Elias commanded. "We are going to extract The Collector from Cartographer custody. He is essential to deciphering Volume II and fighting the Scythers."
The Enforcers, now loyal to the K-GK, immediately went to prepare the truck.
Elias looked down at the inert Silver Watch and Lodestone. He had gained absolute power but lost his personal spiritual connection. He needed the analytical mind of The Collector to understand the power he now wielded.
"The Scythers are defeated for now," Elias murmured to the empty Study, strapping the Ledger to his chest. "But Vex left a trap. We need the analyst before the trap springs."