The cracks on the wall did not explode.
They spread.
Slowly and quietly.
Like thin lines drawn by an invisible hand.
Sarya stepped back as the air around her grew heavy. The mark on her hand burned brighter, and this time she did not try to force it down.
Elira's voice trembled slightly. "The fractures are linking together. They're not separate anymore."
Kael moved in front of Sarya without thinking.
The cracks stretched across the ceiling now. Small pieces of paint flaked off and fell to the floor.
Sereth's image flickered.
"This is distributed manifestation," Sereth said. "It has learned."
Sarya swallowed. "Learned what?"
"How to avoid concentration."
Hollen's voice came through the speaker. "We're seeing the same thing at the council building. Structural readings are unstable."
Sarya forced herself to think clearly.
"It isn't attacking," she said. "It's spreading pressure."
"Yes," Sereth replied. "It is testing your limits."
The cracks stopped growing.
