Contents
Chapter 7
Overview
As ghosts, Livira and Malar shadow Evar’s trio and witness a construct’s pursuit cut short by an assistant. The assistant secretly sees and tethers the ghosts, revealing Livira’s looped book fractured time and caused the Escapes. He urges bringing the book to the present to minimize damage, opening a portal Malar enters.
Summary
Livira and Malar, still ghosts, follow Evar, Clovis, and Kerrol through sparsely populated aisles, determined not to lose them. They trail the trio up a ladder and into a deadly chase as a construct bears down. Malar tests his ghostly sword to no effect, is swatted aside, and Livira braces beside Evar for the end.
At the last moment a nearby door melts, revealing a pristine assistant who dismisses the skeer and commands the construct away. Evar begs the assistant about ghosts, but the assistant warns him never to see or speak to one, crushing Livira’s hope of contact.
As the canith move off, an unseen tether drags Livira and Malar after the assistant. Confronted, the assistant admits he sees them and has been pulling them along. He claims Livira’s book became a loop that broke reason, fracturing time and enabling Escapes.
The assistant explains the damage cannot be fixed, only minimized: Livira must bring the book to the shared present to seal stability; doing so would restore Livira and Malar’s bodies. Though Livira protests her ghostly state, the assistant opens a portal, insisting time does not care.
Livira turns to consult Malar, but he chooses action over argument and steps through the portal first, leaving Livira facing the decision to follow and retrieve the book.
Who Appears
- LiviraGhostly protagonist; follows Evar, confronts the assistant, learns her looped book fractured time.
- The AssistantPristine library construct; halts the chase, tethers ghosts, reveals the time-loop crisis, opens a portal.
- MalarGhost soldier; attacks the construct futilely, is tethered, and decisively steps through the portal.
- Evar EventariCanith pursued by a construct; seeks answers from the assistant, warned never to speak to ghosts.
- ClovisEvar’s companion holding the white blade; leads the trio away after the assistant intervenes.
- KerrolEvar’s sibling; flees with the group during the construct’s pursuit.
- The ConstructRelentless metal giant chasing Evar’s group until recalled by the assistant.
- SkeerClinging entities on shelves; previously aided passage, then are dismissed by the assistant.