Chapter 136: The Mirror of Intent
The journey to the Resonant Lens was a silent, solemn procession. The Conscience traveled together: Kaelen and Elara, Lyra and Arlo, Jerris, Bren and Tessa, Ector, and Aurora. Kieran met them at the base of the mountain, his face etched with the strain of preparation. The Imperial delegation arrived separately, a group of twenty scholars in grey robes, officials in neat tunics, and two individuals who moved with the disciplined ease of soldiers despite their civilian clothes: the acousticians.
The air at the outpost was charged, thick with unspoken confrontation. Guild members moved with tense politeness, serving tea and simple fare. Lord High Scholar Nicanor, a man with a carefully trimmed beard and eyes like polished river stones, made pleasantries about the breathtaking landscape. His second, a woman named Commander Vale who led the acousticians, said little, her gaze constantly measuring the cliffs, the Lens, the quality of the light.
