Chapter 1226 — The Matrix Hall

Somewhere in the underground fortress, in the region nearer the original wellspring of the Deep Blue Well, an ancient magical mechanism hummed its way across a brightly lit but utterly deserted suspended bridge. The mechanism had an inverted conical body, two evocation-hands of condensed magic drifting in midair to either side of it, and a great crystal-carved "eye" set into the mechanical structure at its top.

As the magical mechanism skimmed lightly across the bridge, the crystal eye kept reflecting the magnificent streams of light surging above the bridge.

Suddenly the mechanism halted at the midpoint of the bridge. A soft string of hums issued from within it, and then it turned its gaze toward the vast space beyond the bridge—

It was a great cavern, with several alloy-cast bridges and supply chutes cutting across its upper reaches. On its dome and part of its side walls could be seen ancient supporting structures of astonishing scale, with crystal conduits and wellspring mouths extending from them, and between them flowed streams of energy light of tremendous magnitude.

Such was the scene in the upper half of the cavern. It was already magnificent enough, but compared with the bizarre spectacle of the lower half, it was nothing at all—

The entire lower half of the cavern was the "mapped opening" of the Deep Blue pathways. There the thick rock strata and metal structures seemed to have been severed by an invisible blade and carved open, revealing "within the opening" an endless, boundless space of chaos and the surging tides of magic coursing through it in every direction. It was as though the whole planet had been hollowed out through a hole, exposing its hollow interior—and within that hollow, the Deep Blue pathways that ran through the entire planet, pulsing like the veins of a world.

The magical mechanism quietly overlooked that awe-inspiring sight at the bottom of the cavern, and from within it came a hollow, mechanically synthesized voice: "Comparing surveillance records... no anomalous fluctuations detected within the Deep Blue pathways... expanding monitoring range to adjacent tributaries..."

Beyond this bridge, several additional gates barred the way to the fortress's deepest laboratories and control center. Loyal and mighty iron soldiers guarded the ancient passages behind those gates, and the supreme controller of the entire facility... lay quietly dormant in the deepest "Matrix Hall."

An iron soldier in ancient magister's robes, with long gray-white hair, passed through the deep corridors and stepped into the Matrix Hall, which held the highest level of secrecy. The roughly hexagonal hall was brightly lit, and the white and gray ancient building materials gave the whole space an air of excessive, extreme cleanliness and monotony. Within that monochrome hall, one enormous pillar after another, generally silver-white, rose toward the dome directly overhead.

The pillars were built of an unknown metal and crystals set between the metal, and faintly glowing groove patterns could be seen on their surfaces. A low yet pleasant hum issued continuously from deep within each pillar, leaping from one to the next as though in resonance, so that the whole hall echoed with a kind of rhythmic "chiming of wind bells."

"Commander," the iron soldier said, halting before the matrix formed by those pillars, in a voice devoid of emotional variation, "the inspection of all tributaries has been completed."

As the iron soldier's words fell, the silent silver-white pillars in the hall seemed to come alive in an instant. Their crystals began to shine brightly, a rising hum emerged within the low drone, and complex holographic projections surfaced on the faces of many pillars, displaying the automated monitoring records of every magical vein around the Fortress of Defiance—and a pleasant, mechanically synthesized voice rose within the matrix: "I have already seen the returned data—what are the direct observations of the external patrol personnel?"

"Also entirely normal," the iron soldier said meticulously. "Perimeter fluctuation records fall within normal values; the overall variation curve matches the historical fluctuation records of the Deep Blue pathways..."

"All normal..." the synthesized voice in the matrix repeated softly the word its subordinate had used. "In a situation like this, everything being normal is precisely the greatest abnormality.

"Turbulence in the Deep Blue pathways can already be observed in the elemental rifts of Tarlond. Newly hatched dragonets bear traces of contamination by Deep Blue magic. Even the Dragon God suspects that the Deep Blue pathways are about to see an 'upwelling'... and my readings here say all is normal... It seems certain restless freak breeds deep in the wasteland have deliberately been avoiding every tributary that the Deep Blue Well can monitor."

The iron soldier listened quietly to the Ophelia Matrix's analysis, and only after the resonant words among the pillars had subsided did she say, her face expressionless: "The Embershadow cultists know more about the Deep Blue Well than expected—they even know the scope of our surveillance."

"Yes, because they have 'advisors'—very professional 'advisors,'" the Ophelia Matrix said unhurriedly. "How regrettable—those once resolute Defiants now stand against mortal civilization... I am genuinely curious what 'they' have been through on the other side of the border. A pity it will likely remain a mystery forever."

Then the matrix's voice paused, and only after a moment resumed: "Continue monitoring all tributaries and maintain the patrol intensity around the outer regions of the crater—the Embershadow cultists may know how to slip past the Iron Legion's surveillance, but so long as they remain mortal, there will always be moments when their minds relax. Let no trace escape you."

"Yes, Commander."

The iron soldier received the order, then turned and left the brightly lit Matrix Hall.

The hall returned to its former state. The huge metal pillars stood silently in the light, and within those cold, ancient nodes of thought, the consciousness of Ophelia Norton flowed quietly on, just as it had through every day of the past thousand years.

This state persisted for a moment, and then beside one of the square pillars a clear holographic projection suddenly appeared, showing bustling, prosperous streets and the dazzling array of goods in the shops along them.

Right after, a new holographic projection surfaced beside another pillar: a plain church, where young priests pursuing the way of the Holy Light gathered, listening to a senior priest instruct them in a course on freestyle combat.

More holographic projections emerged beside one pillar after another—bustling, lively city districts and quiet, peaceful suburbs; murmuring streams and green nursery plots; lofty clock towers and majestic city gatehouses.

Those were sights from afar—beyond this barren, desolate wasteland, in that nation growing ever more prosperous and powerful by the day.

Ophelia Norton's consciousness flowed quietly through these sights from afar.

(End of this chapter)