One week passed since sharing information via Overlord network.
Seven days monitoring gate as dimensional bridge remained stable at five-and-a-half meters diameter with swirling clouds churning with familiar rhythm, no new objects expelled since smartphone, just constant presence waiting and watching.
Draven stood before gate with pack surrounding him as Velnar's ancient bulk settled on ice, Sylvara's forest druid form maintained patient vigil, Feyra nestled close against northern cold despite week-long acclimation, Zor circled overhead periodically. Malvorn in human form nearby had earth communion extending subconsciously across frozen landscape. Genesis Codex floated beside bearer with green-gold light pulsing steadily.
Week of waiting, observing, searching for answers that remained elusive.
Naelvorn's seven-foot human form leaned against ice ridge casually with teal eyes bright despite week of monotonous observation. "Week guarding dimensional doorway and NOTHING happens. Gate's being boring, bros. Maybe Fate took vacation?"
Characteristic humor masked underlying tension as ocean Overlord's restless, action-oriented personality struggled with passive monitoring.
Frostina's elegant fifteen-story wyvern form coiled nearby with sapphire scales glittering in pale northern sunlight as snow swirled perpetually around her. "Patience necessary. Gate represents unknown threat. Monitoring essential regardless of apparent inactivity."
Composed authority as ice Overlord maintained territorial vigilance because gate was in her domain, her responsibility, her watch.
Three Overlords present with Malvorn bonded, Naelvorn allied, Frostina coordinating as alliance functioned with unified purpose despite personality differences.
Draven reviewed smartphone photos again as Daniel Hayes' peaceful Earth life preserved in glowing device reminded him of what they fought for. "We know five Pillars exist. We know they're required for merger. We know locations completely unknown."
Frustration was evident despite controlled tone.
Velnar clicked thoughtfully. "Week monitoring produced no additional clues. Gate offers no directional guidance. Ruins contained information about what Pillars are, not where they are."
Information versus location as critical distinction because knowing Pillars existed meant nothing without finding them.
Sylvara's analytical addition followed. "Systematic planetary search required. Theia vast. Five objects anywhere across continents, oceans, underground, hidden in wilderness. Could take years."
Daunting scale with five human-sized rods and entire world to search.
Zor's tactical concern emerged. "And unknown if we have years. Mana draining continuously. Fate's plan advancing."
Timeline uncertain as pressure built.
***
Ground shook.
Sudden, violent, without warning.
Ice cracked beneath feet as massive fissures split frozen plain, spider-webbing outward from epicenter somewhere northwest. Snow cascaded from nearby ice formations as crystalline structures fractured audibly.
Earthquake.
Everyone braced instinctively as pack spread for stability, Draven dropped low, Overlords in human forms adjusted stance. Frostina's massive wyvern form shifted with wings spreading for balance and claws gripping ice firmly.
Tremor intensified, not gentle but significant seismic event as ground heaved, landscape reshaped, Northern Ice Field trembled under geological fury.
Genesis Codex's light flared as cosmic entity detected disturbance but remained stable with floating form unaffected by physical quake.
Theia shaking violently and unexpectedly.
Thirty seconds, maybe forty, felt like minutes.
Ground bucked as ice groaned and Northern wasteland protested geological violence.
Then stopping as abruptly as it began with tremor ceasing, ground stabilizing, silence returning save for cascading snow and settling ice fragments.
Feyra's small voice was shaken. "That was big earthquake..."
Naelvorn straightened, brushing ice dust from shoulders. "Earthquakes happen sometimes, right? Theia's got tectonic plates like any world. Natural geological activity. Probably unrelated to gate or mana drain."
Logical assumption because earthquakes occurred naturally as Theia experienced seismic events periodically from volcanic regions, continental shifts, normal planetary processes.
Coincidence with unfortunate timing during already tense week, nothing more.
Most nodded agreement as natural disaster, scary but explainable.
But Malvorn stood frozen with crystalline human form completely still, silver eyes distant as earth communion extended across entire Northern Ice Field and beyond.
Sensing, analyzing, detecting.
"No," he said quietly with voice carrying absolute conviction despite low volume. "This wasn't natural."
Everyone's attention snapped to earth Overlord immediately.
Draven asked, "What do you mean?"
Malvorn's communion reached deeper through ice, through bedrock, through planetary mantle, touching Theia's geological heart with Overlord awareness. "Earth communion senses planetary rhythms. Tectonic movements. Geological patterns. I know natural earthquakes, their signatures, their causes, their resonance through stone."
Pause as certainty formed. "That earthquake felt wrong. Unnatural. Not tectonic shift. Not volcanic activity. Not continental adjustment."
Looking at Draven directly with concern evident in crystalline features. "Something else caused that. Something wrong with Theia itself."
***
Frostina's concentric ice-ring eyes focused on Malvorn intently. "Define 'wrong.' What specifically felt unnatural about seismic event?"
Earth Overlord's communion still extended, reading planetary depths with primordial connection to stone and gravity. "Natural earthquakes result from pressure release: tectonic plates shifting, magma movement, geological stress accumulation then sudden discharge. Specific energy signature. Predictable pattern."
Gesturing toward cracked ice surrounding them. "That earthquake had different signature. Energy felt depleted. Weak. Like planet itself struggling to maintain geological stability. Not pressure release, pressure failure. Foundation weakening."
Struggling as planetary systems failed.
"Never felt earthquake like that in all my existence. Wrongness fundamental. Not surface phenomenon. Deep instability."
Sylvara's analytical voice was tight with realization. "Mana draining from Theia for week minimum. Longer, probably, since gate opened. Continuous energy theft."
Velnar clicked grimly. "And mana isn't just magical energy. It's planetary lifeblood. Theia's fundamental essence. Everything depends on it: geological stability, atmospheric balance, ecological systems."
Zor's tactical conclusion followed. "Remove lifeblood continuously, systems begin failing."
Connection forming as mana drain led to planetary instability which led to geological failure.
Naelvorn's humor was completely absent now with teal eyes serious. "So that earthquake might be Theia literally falling apart because Fate's stealing our mana?"
Terrifying possibility.
Malvorn's earth communion withdrew slightly, returning focus to immediate surroundings.
Silver eyes met Draven's with grave intensity. "I can't confirm causation definitively. Earthquake could be coincidence. Could be unrelated geological event happening simultaneously with mana drain."
Pause, then certainty. "But my communion felt wrongness. Deep planetary instability. Something fundamental breaking within Theia's structure."
Looking toward gate as dimensional bridge drained world's lifeblood continuously. "If mana drain continues, I believe more will follow. Worse will follow."
First tremor.
Not the last.
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