As the train reached the junction at the mountain pass, three steam whistles wailed in unison.
Three sets of station bells rang over a single track. Outside the window, the lights of distinct stations flickered, superimposed upon one another in a ghostly blur.
“This is the severance point of the Chain.”
Kudon snapped open his Catalog.
“If we don’t break the connection here, the subsequent sectors will suffer a simultaneous Collapse.”
Asahi bolted toward the coupling between the carriages. The metal fixtures on the floor shuddered violently, spitting sparks into the air.
Koyoi pressed her drawstring pouch to her chest, steadying her breath. The pulse of the Shizuku was racing, but it was still within her control.
Kudon produced three slips of paper and laid them out on the floor, each bearing a unique sigil.
“The left is the Name lineage, the center is the Shadow, and the right is Resonance. All three are crossed right now.”
Asahi wedged his blade into the coupling fixtures and braced himself.
“I just have to cut them, then?”
“Do not miss the sequence,” Kudon warned. “Right, left, then finally the center.”
The train lurched violently. An oil lantern on the ceiling shattered, spilling its contents across the floor.
Koyoi used the Shizuku’s chill to stop the oil from spreading, shouting over the din, “Why that specific order?”
Kudon answered while pinning the papers down against the vibration. “If you cut Resonance first, the Name and Shadow will detonate. We must let the waves dissipate before severing the outer layers.”
Asahi nodded and struck the first fixture. The vibrations on the right side began to subside.
Then, he struck the left. Outside the window, one of the overlapping station lights peeled away and receded into the distance.
The moment he drove his blade into the center, the entire carriage bucked. Koyoi was thrown back, her spine slamming against a seat.
Her vision went white. A high-pitched ringing filled her ears.
Even so, she didn't let the Shizuku fall. Clinging to the warmth in her palms, she forced herself to stay conscious.
The shaking stopped. Only a single whistle sounded now. The screeching of the rails returned to the sound of a single track.
Kudon let out a long, heavy breath.
“It’s done… the Chain has been isolated.”
Asahi withdrew his blade and slumped onto the floor.
“That was close. One beat later and the whole carriage would have been torn apart.”
Koyoi slowly stood up and looked out the window. Only a single station remained visible. The superposition was gone.
“Severing things… it’s frightening, isn't it?”
Kudon answered her softly. “It is. But sometimes, you have to cut things once if you ever hope to reconnect them properly.”
Asahi stood up with a grin. “Well then, our next job is to mend what we’ve severed.”
The train slowed, pulling into a quiet station. The silence that followed the severance wasn't an empty void. It was the stillness of preparation, waiting for the next connection.
Stepping onto the platform, new characters flickered to life on the signboard beside the tracks:
Awaiting Connection
Before, this was where a Collapse Warning would have been blaring. Looking at the sign, Koyoi finally let the tension drain from her shoulders.
Asahi laughed. “So, we’ve learned not just how to cut, but how to wait.”
Kudon checked the signboard and nodded. “To wait and connect in the correct order, rather than rushing the mend. That is our next challenge.”
Koyoi gripped her Shizuku and gazed down the quiet tracks. Beyond the severance, a space had been cleared—a margin for the story to continue.