Chapter 145 – The First Throne
The backward movement of the resonance lasted only a few seconds before the ancient platform stabilized. The six dark pathways remained dormant, while the golden path connecting the platform to the First Throne continued glowing beneath the ground. Rather than following the resonance farther east, Orion decided to return to the village and examine the connection they had just discovered. They had already learned that the network responded to their abilities, and rushing toward another unknown location would tell them less than understanding what they had already found.
The journey back was calm. The group discussed the seven pathways along the way, with the researchers comparing their observations and trying to determine whether the dormant paths had once served different purposes. Marcus remained fascinated by the idea that the ancient network stretched across such a large territory.
"So we’re basically walking across an ancient system built by the Seven Thrones," he said.
Caelan glanced at him. "That’s still a theory."
"Everything we’ve found so far has been a theory until we touch it."
Ryan nodded. "That’s actually how we’ve been doing things."
Orion looked back at them. "Which is precisely why I’m keeping everyone alive long enough to stop doing that."
The laughter that followed made the journey feel less like an expedition into an ancient mystery and more like a group of students returning from a difficult field exercise.
By the time they reached the village, the researchers waiting beside the well had already noticed the change. The water was no longer glowing. Instead, it had returned completely to normal.
One of the researchers immediately approached Orion. "The formation stabilized shortly after you left. The energy levels have dropped to normal."
Orion looked toward Azrael and Seraphina.
"Did you cause that?"
Azrael shook his head. "We corrected the damaged section. The network is maintaining itself now."
Seraphina walked toward the well and examined the surrounding plants. The flowers that had previously reacted to the resonance were still healthy, but their accelerated growth had stopped.
"They don’t need our help anymore," she said.
Lyanna smiled. "That’s probably a good thing."
"It is," Seraphina replied. "Genesis shouldn’t make everything dependent on me."
Azrael looked at the plants. "And Oblivion shouldn’t leave everything dependent on being destroyed."
The two exchanged a brief smile.
Their abilities were beginning to change in ways neither had expected.
That afternoon, the researchers returned to the circular formation outside the village. With the energy stabilized, they could finally examine the structure without interference.
The seven throne-shaped spaces were no longer visible. Only the original lines remained carved into the ground, forming a large circular pattern connected to the eastern road.
One researcher carefully measured the formation.
"The First Throne isn’t a physical throne," she said. "It’s a stabilizing point."
Orion nodded. "We already suspected that."
"But we’ve discovered something else."
She placed several pieces of parchment across the ground.
"The formation responds differently to each of the twins."
Azrael raised an eyebrow.
"Show us."
The researcher pointed toward the center. "When you used Oblivion earlier, the damaged portion of the network disappeared without disturbing the rest. When Seraphina used Genesis, the living roots restored the surrounding pathways. The formation accepted both energies independently."
Seraphina frowned slightly. "And Choice?"
"We haven’t been able to reproduce its effect."
Azrael looked toward the colorless markings.
"Because we aren’t supposed to control it."
The researcher looked confused.
Azrael continued, "Genesis and Oblivion are forces we can wield. Choice isn’t the same. It depends on what we decide to do with them."
Orion considered his words.
"Then the ancient network may have been designed around the same principle."
Seraphina nodded. "The Seven Thrones didn’t simply control Genesis and Oblivion. They made decisions about how those forces should exist together."
The discussion continued for several hours, and for the first time the expedition’s researchers were able to establish something concrete about the ancient system. The Seven Thrones had not created the network as a weapon or a method of controlling the world. The structures appeared to have been designed to maintain pathways between different regions, regulate dangerous concentrations of energy, and preserve areas where Genesis and Oblivion could coexist without destabilizing one another.
The First Throne’s role was the clearest so far: stability.
It prevented disruptions within the network from spreading to the surrounding environment.
That explained why the village, despite being connected to the ancient system, had remained unharmed.
As evening approached, Azrael and Seraphina returned to the field where they had first encountered the formation.
Neither of them spoke for several minutes.
Azrael drew Astraeus.
Seraphina raised her hand.
They decided to test their abilities deliberately.
Azrael focused on a small piece of dead wood lying beside the formation. It had already begun decomposing naturally. He extended Oblivion toward it, but instead of destroying the entire branch, he searched for the boundary between what was still useful and what had already reached its end.
He found it.
The dead portion dissolved into fine particles while a small living section remained untouched.
Azrael studied the result.
"I can separate an ending from what continues."
Seraphina nodded. "Try something similar."
She approached a damaged plant nearby. Instead of flooding it with Genesis energy, she sensed its remaining life and guided it toward the healthy portions of its roots.
The plant slowly recovered.
No sudden explosion of growth occurred.
No unnatural transformation followed.
It simply continued living.
Seraphina smiled.
"I can guide life without deciding what it should become."
Azrael looked at her.
"That’s different from what we could do before."
"Much different."
They stood beside one another as the evening light fell across the village.
Their abilities had always been powerful, but power alone had never been the real lesson. The more they understood Genesis and Oblivion, the less they needed to rely on overwhelming force.
They were learning precision.
Later that night, the expedition gathered for dinner.
Marcus was already telling an exaggerated version of the day’s events.
"We found seven ancient thrones buried beneath the earth, and then Azrael basically challenged all seven of them."
Ryan nearly choked on his food.
"He didn’t challenge anyone."
"Details."
Caelan shook his head. "There weren’t even physical thrones."
Marcus looked offended. "You’re ruining the story."
Sophia laughed. "You do that to yourself."
Seraphina listened to them with a smile while Azrael quietly ate beside her. The atmosphere was surprisingly normal considering what they had discovered during the past several days.
Orion eventually joined the conversation.
"We’ll return to the academy tomorrow."
Marcus immediately looked relieved.
"Finally."
Orion raised an eyebrow. "You were the one who wanted to explore the eastern territory."
"I wanted to explore it when I didn’t know there were seven ancient cosmic throne things beneath it."
Ryan nodded. "That’s a reasonable distinction."
The researchers would remain in the village for several days to monitor the First Throne formation. A larger expedition would eventually be organized to investigate the remaining pathways, but there was no need to rush.
For now, they had something more valuable than another unanswered question.
They had an understanding.
The First Throne had not awakened to summon them.
It had responded because the ancient network was damaged, and their abilities had allowed them to repair part of it.
Azrael had discovered a deeper application of Oblivion.
Seraphina had strengthened her understanding of Guided Genesis.
And together, they had learned that the Seven Thrones were not merely figures from ancient history. Their legacy had left behind a functioning system that still affected the world.
The next stage of their journey would not be about chasing every mystery they encountered.
It would be about understanding what they found.
The following morning, the twins and their companions would return to the academy, bringing the researchers’ records with them and leaving the First Throne under careful observation.
For the first time since the eastern expedition began, they could return home without needing to wonder what they had accomplished.
They had repaired something ancient.
They had strengthened their understanding.
And they had taken another step toward mastering the powers they carried within themselves.