The second day began before the sun had the right to be up.
At 03:17, sensors along the Iron Line ticked from green to amber in a rolling wave. The Abyssal Kin came back in blocks, not streams. Their timing was tighter. Their lines looked cleaner.
Sable drew the new picture without commentary: three hard pushes at Duskline, Ironveil, and Blue Sluice, plus gnaws along tiles where the fence ran through bad ground. New icons appeared on the feed—rib frames fitted with hanging bells, null-priests in lacquer black with salt-white gloves.
"Hymn cannons," the Minister of Wards said. "They attack ward harmonics. Choir is ready."
On the ward floor, thirty elders took their places. The Aetherite core thrummed low. Engineers ran the counter-hymn patch again and set a fresh kettle on a hotplate.
"Nyx to Ironveil," Lyralei said, already pulling her helmet on. "Griffons hold Blue Sluice. I'll plug the first hole."
