Chapter 12
Chapter 12: Under the Ancient Witness
Eliza and her companions dig under the old oak in the cemetery, finding a locked metal chest. As they struggle to open it, the beam from the observatory begins to dim, and the watcher arrives with a warning that the device is losing power. They solve a riddle from the journal to open the chest, revealing a small crystal prism. The beam suddenly vanishes, plunging the cemetery into darkness, and a low rumble shakes the ground. Eliza realizes the prism must be placed in the sphere before the next full moon, but the watcher reveals that dawn is only minutes away and the device has already begun to destabilize.
The cemetery lay silent under the cold stars. The silver beam from the observatory cut through the mist like a ghostly finger, pointing directly at the old oak. Eliza’s knees pressed into the soft earth as she began to dig, her fingers scraping against roots and stones. The ground was damp and cold, and the smell of wet leaves filled the air.
Mr. Griggs knelt beside her, using a small trowel from his coat pocket. “Careful now,” he said. “We don’t know how deep Viktor buried it.”
Dr. Voss and Thomas Crane stood watch at the cemetery gates, their eyes scanning the dark streets beyond. The night was still except for the occasional hoot of an owl. Eliza’s heart pounded. Every second felt like a countdown.
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