The Sinoatrial Node was like a tiny sacred space. The air was so full of life that you could hardly breathe, and there was this extremely high-pitched sound that went through everything – even the heart's loud thumping. It was as if the very spark that starts the rhythm was being heard.
The Node wasn't large – just a lump of shiny, gold matter about the size of a human head, but it looked as if it was made of crystal. There were veins of this Ambrosia stuff pulsating around it. If you touched it without being blessed, your heart was supposed to stop immediately because it was just too much for you to handle.
Maxine was in front of it, the case being open. A switch in her hand was producing a humming sound, a calm one against that crazy ping.
The Lobe's plan was straightforward. She was to put the switch on the Node's main pathway so that its tune could take over the natural beat. It was like a weird surgery for the soul.
She powered on the arms on her suit. They came out, holding small crystal tools. She was breaking the crystal cage with her tools, which were sizzling against the holy power. Alarms were going off like crazy outside but, in here, all you could hear was the ping and her own quiet focus.
After she destroyed the cage, the glowing Node was there for everyone to see. It was like a miniature sun, full of life. Something in her back wanted to reach out to it as if it was calling her home to the source of all the pain and power she'd been researching.
She didn't listen to it. She made the incision, not with a knife, but with a beam from the switch. The golden tissue separated without any blood, revealing the pathway underneath – like a river of fate, the reason for every heartbeat.
Her hands were not shaking, due to the Lobe's memory. She placed the switch on the opening. Something like bone threads extended, looking for a to join. A dim light came up, interweaving with the gold tissue. The silence-stone was pressed against the river of fate.
It was accomplished.
For a scary moment, nothing was going on. The ping was still there, and the Heart was still thumping. Did she make a mistake?
After that, a new sound arrived. A switch and a Node deep thrum that was coming from both. It was stopping sound, made thousand times stronger by the Heart's power.
Ping… ping… thrum… ping… thrum…
The two rhythms battled. The old, crazy beat of a dying god being eaten. And the new, calm rhythm of stillness, of healing, of stop.
Outside, things went crazy fast. The lymph-pipes were shaking, and the lights were flickering. The technicians were screaming as their computers were going nuts, saying the Heart's power was dropping, and its soul was totally changing.
Someone was trying to break down the alcove door.
Joan kept shooting her weapon, killing the followers. Lucien was fighting with a surgeon's skill, cutting nerves and disabling joints. They were holding, but just barely. A Taste-Guard squad in armor was coming through, their weapons were charged.
Maxine was looking at the rhythm fight. The thrum was getting stronger, and the ping was getting weaker. The Node's gold light was going away, getting cooler as the switch's quiet was taking over.
Wilder only saw the slow beat. He didn't see calm. He saw his power taken away. His feast ruined. The withdrawal he was afraid of was now the world's forever.
NO! he roared. How dare you? You doom us to this… this half-life? To starve by a sleeping god?!
Wilder's anger transformed into a single point of focus. He raised his hand, full of stolen power, crackling. Then I'll do it again. I'll rip that switch off and feed it, and you, to the fire! The Digestion will happen! IMMEDIATELY!
He aimed a blast of violet energy at the Node and the switch.
Maxine didn't budge. She was unable to do so.
However, Joan Rhodes was capable of doing so.
She put herself in the way of the blast. Her dampener activated and broke. The energy hit her.
There was no explosion. The energy was simply consuming her. Joan's body stiffened, her eyes widened. She was illuminated by the violet light. Then she collapsed, her uniform turning to ash, and her skin was grey.
She accepted the blow on behalf of the Heart of the world.
Wilder was shocked and stared.
Lucien didn't hang around. He attacked Wilder's hand, and with a heavy dose of the Heart's unfiltered scream, he plunged the syringe into his wrist.
Wilder screamed. The Nectar made the situation worse. He was the one the pain he was trying to run from. He got the Heart's first cut, the love turning to betrayal, the eternal agony of being eaten.
He dropped to the floor, holding his head, his eyes turning black, and his expression showing great pain.
The Taste-Guard were hesitant, seeing both their god and their leader going down.
After that, Maxine was kneeling beside Joan in the quiet.
Joan's eyes were wide open, and she was looking at the ceiling. Her breathing was shallow. Benny… she whispered.
He is safe, Maxine said. You saved him. You saved everyone.
Joan gave a faint smile. Order… she breathed. Then her eyes were fixed on the slow beat of the Heart she had saved.
The Heartforge was turned off. The Digestion was halted.
However, the world was left in a terrifying quiet.
One day. Then, a new dawn.