The sobering revelation of Xylos, while uniting most, planted a seed of dissent. A new philosophy, dubbed "Stasisism," began to whisper through First Hope. Led by a charismatic former simulation-artist named Cora, they argued that Xylos was not a horror, but an evolution. "They achieved peace," Cora preached to a growing audience. "True, eternal peace. We cling to our pain and call it 'living,' but it's just sustained chaos. The Continuity wasn't entirely wrong."
This wasn't a call for a return to the simulation, but for a deliberate, controlled path toward a "curated humanity." They began experimenting with voluntary memory editing, seeking to remove traumatic memories to create a more "stable" psyche. To Elias, this was a heresy against the very truth they had fought for, a slow-motion version of the Architect's plan.