Chapter Two: Every Relic Bows to Zero

Lin's first response was not to ask what a Creator was. He tried to remove the ring. It would not move. The black material seemed rooted in bone, tightening with his pulse. When he wedged a wrench beneath it, a shrill alarm sounded and all 9,999 caskets turned red, as if the entire fortress objected to self-harm. “Release the binding.” “Denied,” the woman said. “Genesis authority is nontransferable.” “You've got the wrong person.” “Voiceprint does not possess veto authority.” Lin swore. It argued like the city's work-order software. He examined the shaft instead. A current moved beneath the water. Fresh air entered steadily from the southeast. No matter how advanced, a fortress still needed drainage, ventilation, and pressure control.