The path back to the clan hall was quiet, almost unnervingly so.
Dim carried the System Node carefully in both hands. Not heavy, not physically - but it pulsed faintly, a subtle rhythm, almost like it was aware of us. I followed, swinging my arms loosely, leaning back and pretending to stretch. "I swear this place is giving me posture advice now," I muttered, and Dim didn't even look my way.
We entered the clan hall. Splenti was already there, standing near the center, observing the space with her usual calm precision. No greeting, no small talk - just presence.
Dim set the Node on the reinforced table, tapping the side once. A soft hum filled the room as thin lines of energy spread outward along the walls and floor.
"This is our… core," Dim said, his voice low, almost reverent. "Think of it like the clan's heart. The Node expands authority a few meters around it, stabilizes the area, lets the System enforce local rules safely."
He gave a faint, wry grin. "Basically, if we want to play boss for a minute, we bring the Node. Step outside? We're just regular people in Abyss's sandbox."
Splenti's gaze flicked toward him briefly. "Accurate."
Dim continued quietly, almost to himself, "And the Local Authority Override? It only functions inside this zone. Outside, the System ignores it. Limits risk, keeps anomalies from spreading."
I leaned against a wall, grinning. "So it's basically a glowing bubble of 'don't break stuff,' huh?"
Dim rolled his eyes. Within his thoughts, he was relieved I didn't make it sound too dramatic. Or maybe he just couldn't tell if I was joking or serious.
Splenti said nothing, just watching the Node pulse. Then she turned her attention fully to Dim. "Report. Everything you observed."
Dim squared his shoulders. "System Node secured. Area stable. Minor deviations in combat efficiency, all logged. Armi's performance was… different this time."
Splenti's gaze slid toward me. "Different how?"
Dim hesitated, then spoke quietly, measured. "He didn't hesitate. Moves like the System anticipated outcomes before he did. Calculated, precise. Efficient."
I shrugged, letting a casual smirk cross my face. "Hey, I'm just lucky sometimes. Totally accidental efficiency."
Dim's jaw tightened slightly. Within his thoughts, he was trying to reconcile the Armi he remembered - chaotic, joking, impulsive - with the one standing here, calm, deliberate, yet somehow still making cracks in the tension with jokes.
Splenti didn't comment. She just tilted her head, silent acknowledgment.
Dim pressed on, voice lower, almost hesitant. "He doesn't seem aware of how… different he's become. Not like he notices the System doing anything. He's just… performing."
"Good," Splenti said simply. "Then we watch carefully. We track deviations and cognitive anomalies. Not for punishment - but to understand. This is what makes the Node useful. It gives us a perimeter where authority can act, without letting anomalies escape."
Dim nodded slowly. "So the Node is like… a tiny bubble of control. The System enforces it, not Armi."
"Exactly," Splenti confirmed. "And within that bubble, deviations are logged, behavior is nudged if necessary. Outside, Abyss decides."
I stretched my arms over my head, smirking. "Well, at least I'm not being bossed around. The Node's doing the heavy lifting."
Dim's eyes flicked to me. Within his thoughts, he couldn't tell if I was joking or oblivious - probably both.
***
Dim and Splenti spoke in low tones, leaning over the Node, discussing its readings and the stabilization radius. I leaned casually against the wall, listening, twirling a finger on the table. Within my own head, I ran through the fight we'd just had. Nothing alarming. Everything within expected outcomes. And yet…
Dim shook his head slightly. "I don't know if I like this… or if I even recognize him anymore."
I grinned, tossing my head back slightly. "Relax. Recognition is overrated. Function matters. And hey, I'm still allowed to make jokes, even in Abyss."
Within his thoughts, Dim exhaled, realizing he wasn't just observing a teammate. He was observing someone whose frame of reference had changed. And Splenti knew it. She always knew.
The Node pulsed gently, lines of energy creeping along the walls and floor, defining the perimeter. Within it, Local Authority could operate fully - actions could be prioritized, deviations corrected. Outside? Anything could happen. The System would handle what it could, but unpredictability was inevitable.
Dim swallowed, glancing at the shimmer. "I don't know if I like this… or if I can even understand it."
I shrugged, letting the humor slip back in. "Relax. It's just a glowing core that keeps the clan from getting eaten by Abyss. No pressure."
Dim finally allowed himself a faint smile. Within his thoughts, he admitted: Armi hadn't changed completely. Some things - humor, instincts - still survived. That was… comforting, in a weird way.
I leaned back, grinning at the Node. "And if it gets bored, I'm volunteering to entertain it."
Dim's sigh carried relief, confusion, and a little exasperation all at once. Some things never change.
Abyss didn't react. It never did. It only recorded.