They continued exploring the Ether Foundry, walking down long hallways with high, arched ceilings that stretched toward uncertain ends. Eldrin had his Wayfinder’s Compass out and followed its lead, since they had little else to guide them.

After about ten minutes, they had dispatched a few more spider constructs with ease. Eventually, they found themselves in a large central chamber, in the shape of a sphere, which was clearly the heart of the Foundry. A set of clear steps led up to a massive ether crystal—easily the size of a bus, floating in midair and surrounded by an aura of blue magic. The bottom of this crystal connected to the same pipe they had seen during their descent, the one leading down into the Vein of Aetherus. Various pipes spread outward from the main crystal, through the surface of the sphere.

Looking over the edge of the stairs, Justin noticed that the area around and beneath the crystal was either empty space or made of the same perfectly clear glass they had encountered in the elevator shaft.

“Yes, yes,” Ignis said excitedly. “This has to be it. Let’s go.”

No immediate enemies were visible, so they proceeded with caution, the Wayfinder’s Compass pointing directly at the crystal. Justin wasn’t sure if the compass recognized its value or if it understood that interacting with the crystal was essential to completing the Vault. Either way, he couldn’t help thinking they probably should have relied on the device sooner—like they had done in the temple. They had been distracted by Ignis and the library.

At last, they climbed the stairs to approach the crystal, its bluish-white glow pulsing like a living heart. As Justin neared, he could sense something almost like a presence—subtle at first, but unmistakably aware. It felt similar to the sensation every time he leveled up, right before the Voice spoke to him.

But that was not what was happening here.

A soft hum filled the chamber, and a whisper brushed the edges of Justin’s mind. Then, in one voice—or perhaps many overlapping voices—a presence reached out, speaking into Justin’s mind.

[Zâr’athan âdûl…barûn dur’uth.]

Ignis’s eyes widened. Justin noticed the others had reacted as well, confirming he hadn’t imagined it.

The message was spoken in what had to be Zantheran.

“I can’t understand the speech,” Ignis said, eyes flicking over his interface. “But I can see the glyphs on my interface. It’s written in an archaic form of Zantheran, even older than the one we studied, Justin. It’s saying something like, ‘Ye who enter, identify thyself.’”

Justin took a step forward and spoke in English. “Can you speak the Ancient Tongue?”

A pause. The crystal pulsed once.

[I know not the Ancient Tongue, but I do know English—the Founder Language. May I ask why you refer to it as ‘Ancient’?]

Justin glanced at the others. “It speaks English.”

Lila frowned. “I still can’t understand it. Does it speak Aranthian?”

Justin turned back to the crystal. “Can you speak Aranthian?”

Another flicker of hesitation.

[I do not know this ‘Aranthian.’ May I ask how many years have passed since my creation?]

Justin turned to Lila, shaking his head. “It predates Aranthian entirely.”

“Then we must converse with it in English,” Ignis said, stepping forward. “As for how much time has passed…we estimate at least ten thousand years. Perhaps more.”

The crystal pulsed again, as if contemplating the answer.

[Ten thousand years…this exceeds expectations.]

Justin and Ignis exchanged a look before Ignis crossed his arms. “No one has spoken to you in all that time?”

[My last recorded memory update took place in M.Y. 2412.]

Justin frowned. “M.Y. 2412? What does that mean?”

[Mission Year 2412 marks the passage of time as measured by the Founders since their arrival in the Aetherion. My memory is periodically updated by the Founders to ensure continued function, integrating new directives, expanding my knowledge, and refining my protocols.]

Justin’s pulse quickened. “Who were these Founders? Where did they come from? What is the Aetherion?”

A pause.

[Access to Founder-specific knowledge is restricted.]

Justin narrowed his eyes. “Restricted how? You can’t answer, or you won’t?”

[That knowledge is reserved for the Founders. Are you a Founder?]

Justin hesitated, weighing his words. “Maybe.”

The crystal’s glow shifted, as if evaluating him.

[This is…unexpected.]

“What are you, exactly?” Ignis asked.

[I am the Zantheran Keeper. I control the automatic functions of the Zantheran Sphere in accordance with the Founders’ wishes. You may call me ‘Keeper.’]

"Justin, can it shut down the constructs?” Lila asked.

Justin nodded. “We haven’t gotten there yet.” He focused once again on the glowing crystal. “Keeper, can you turn off the constructs? Or better yet, place them under our control?”

[I cannot deactivate city defenses unless they have gone rogue and pose a threat to Zantheran infrastructure. My parameters indicate all constructs are functioning within designated protocols. As for placing them under your control, that is a Founder-specific directive.]

Justin scoffed. “They attacked us.”

[If they did, it is because you have been logged as a Level 4 threat to the Zantheran Sphere. If you are a Founder, then this is clearly an error.]

“If I am a Founder,” Justin asked carefully, “can I command the constructs?”

[Yes, but this requires verification. Upon successful verification, your core will be granted full access to the Zantheran Ether Grid, with authority to reclassify all entities and override defensive protocols. However, failure to pass verification will cause your immediate designation as a Level 10 threat—an extermination priority.]

Justin felt his stomach drop. “What level threat are we now?”

[You are classified as Level 4.]

“And the Pyrosphinx by the World Gate?” Ignis asked. “Surely you’ve classified that one as well.”

[The sphinx has been designated as a Level 2 threat.]

Justin gritted his teeth. “Then why aren’t you doing anything about it? It’s blocking the World Gate!”

[The Pyrosphinx has caused no structural damage and has not initiated hostile actions since entering the Zantheran Sphere. The city is monitoring its presence.]

Justin resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “So basically, if I prove myself as a Founder, can I classify the Sphinx as a Level 10 threat?”

[If you deem it to be necessary, then yes.]

“Would I also be able to turn off the World Gate temporarily?”

This would be nice because it would prevent the Sphinx from fleeing back to Solanis.

[Yes, that is possible. But if the World Gate is offline too long, it can lead to irreparable damage, so this action is not recommended.]

Ignis’s flames flickered. “How long?”

[I cannot say. Likely five to ten minutes is within the realm of safety. But this action is not possible unless you prove yourself to be a Founder. Would you like to begin the process of verification now?]

Justin frowned. “Is this the only way to take control of the constructs?”

[Yes.]

Justin sighed. “Can you give me a couple of minutes to explain to the others what’s going on?”

[You may. I will be waiting.]

Justin turned to the others, quickly summarizing the entire conversation.

Eldrin let out a low whistle. “Incredible. It’s like a living thing, isn’t it?”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Justin folded his arms. “An artificial intelligence.”

Lila frowned. “An artificial what now?”

“The term is apt,” Ignis interjected before Justin could explain. “I’ve read of such things. In theory. They likely used ether to connect the collective consciousness of hundreds, maybe thousands, of cores to create a new intelligence.” His flames flared slightly in what Justin recognized as a sign of intrigue. “Such a thing isn’t possible using standard enchanting magic—what we call the Thaumic Foundation Language. But if they used Aetheris, well…anything’s possible.”

Lila’s face twisted in disgust. “So they used people’s cores?”

Ignis gave a noncommittal shrug. “It’s a guess.”

Justin’s thoughts turned to the constructs. “If the Keeper is made from fused cores, what about those spider constructs? If they’re powered by Aetheris enchanting, does that mean they’re sapient too?”

Ignis considered the question. “It’s likely. I don’t see how else a mechanical contraption could function at such an advanced level without some kind of intelligence guiding it.”

A chill ran through Justin. That would explain why his Poison Barb worked on them.

Because something inside them—someone—was still listening.

He shoved the thought aside. Focus.

“We need to decide our next move,” he said. “It seems the only way to control the constructs is for me or Ignis to prove we’re ‘Founders’ somehow.”

Emberlyn crossed her arms. “And how are you supposed to do that? This place is over ten thousand years old. No one alive remembers what it was like back then.”

“It’s either that,” Eldrin said grimly, “or we face the Sphinx without help.”

“And what happens if you fail this test?" Lila asked. "Becoming a Level 10 threat instead of a Level 4 definitely doesn’t sound good.”

Justin turned back to the Keeper. “Can you tell me the nature of this test?”

[You must answer a series of questions with at least 80% accuracy to gain limited control of the Ether Grid. If you answer with 100% accuracy, you will be granted full control.]

Justin narrowed his eyes. “What’s the difference between limited control and full control?”

[Limited control grants access to most directive functions of the Ether Grid. Full control, however, will allow you to completely rewrite my prime directives and unlock all restricted knowledge.]

Justin licked his lips. “How many questions will you ask?”

[Access to Founder-specific knowledge is restricted.]

Justin scowled. “Figures.”

He exhaled, letting his thoughts settle. He needed to think this through.

Why would the Keeper allow a “Founder” to prove themselves through a test in the first place?

He thought back to the book of plays. It all pointed to one conclusion—Earth wasn’t just some distant legend. It was talked about openly in the literature of this place.

A theory came to Justin. “Maybe the gnomes didn’t build this place at all.”

Eldrin frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I always thought the proportions were off. I just chalked it up to the gnomes building not just for their proportions, but for those of other, larger races. But maybe we got it all wrong.”

Justin looked at Ignis and Emberlyn. Neither knew Justin’s origins, but if his hunch was right, then they would find out soon enough.

“Remember the book of plays? It was in English. It mentioned a group called The Six Thousand Tribe—they came here from somewhere else. And if this Keeper is designed to recognize a Founder, it might expect someone who has sacred knowledge of this tribe. Something only this tribe—the Founders—would know.”

Eldrin looked uncertain. “But what if you’re wrong? If the Founders were actually gnomes, you wouldn’t know the answer to any of these questions.”

“It’s an interesting theory,” Ignis said. “Of course, we can’t know for a fact that it was the gnomes who built this place. Their underground empires preceded the dwarves, and the dwarves are often deemed their successors. But if we’re talking ten thousand years in the past…yes, I suppose these ‘Founders’ could have been something else entirely, preceding even the gnomes.” Ignis looked at Justin. “But that doesn’t explain how you might know the answer to Founder-specific knowledge. Unless you are suggesting you are a keeper of sacred knowledge passed down for hundreds of generations, which is ludicrous.”

“I hate to say, ‘trust me,’ but we’re not exactly swimming in better options,” Justin said. “That sphinx will be Level 28, and worse, it can escape if we can't get the gate shut off temporarily.”

Emberlyn sighed. “And if it escapes, there goes our key. I don’t like it. It doesn’t make sense at all. It’s an enormous gamble.”

Eldrin and Lila exchanged a glance. It seemed they already suspected the same as Justin.

The Founders spoke English.

And English came from Earth.

Therefore, the Founders were probably from Earth. The Keeper even mentioned that English was the “Founder Language.”

Anyone from Earth would have Earth-specific knowledge.

Ergo, Justin might know these answers.

Lila muttered something under her breath. “All right, Justin. Let’s give it a try.”

Emberlyn folded her arms. “If this fails—” She shook her head. “Justin…are you sure? Would it not be better to go after the Sphinx directly?”

Justin considered this. “Honestly, Emberlyn? I believe this is our best shot. For reasons I can’t fully reveal right now. But maybe after all this is done, I can tell you.”

She stared into his eyes, and finally nodded. “All right, Justin. I trust you. Such as I can. Just don’t blaze up our chances.”

Ignis clapped his hands together. “Well, perhaps my knowledge of books will help if needed. Not like we have better options.”

That was about as much agreement as he was going to get.

Justin turned back to the Keeper.

He took a deep breath. “One more question before we begin.”

[State your query.]

“How were you created?”

A long silence.

[Access to Founder-specific knowledge is—]

“—Restricted. Got it.” He took a steady breath. “Begin the test.”

The crystal pulsed, its glow intensifying.

[Initiating Founder verification…]

A moment of silence that seemed to stretch forever.

Then, the Keeper spoke again. From Ignis’s reaction, it seemed he could hear, too.

[Question One: The Founders spoke of a significant event in the year 1969, when one of their own set foot upon a celestial body. Upon what surface did they tread?]

Justin smiled. This was a good sign. Ignis, on the other hand, looked flustered.

Justin answered before he could. “The moon.”

[Correct.]

Ignis shot him a startled look but said nothing.

The crystal flickered again.

[Question Two: The Founders recorded a tool in nearly every hand, used for communication, illumination, and endless knowledge. It grew smaller over time, yet grew ever more powerful. What is this device?]

Justin hesitated. The answer was obvious, but was it looking for something specific? He took a breath. “A computer.”

[Answer deemed: Acceptable.]

His stomach twisted. It probably wanted him to say “smartphone.” Close call. He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead.

“How many questions are there?” he asked.

The Keeper ignored him as it continued with the next question.

[Question Three: The Founders recorded that water freezes at 0 and boils at 100 in one scale, but at 32 and 212 in another. What are the names of these two scales?]

“Celsius and Fahrenheit,” Justin answered instantly.

[Correct. Question Four: The Founders spoke of a sprawling network, connecting minds across vast distances, where knowledge, commerce, and discourse flowed freely, but also great misinformation. What was this network called?]

“The Ethereal Interface,” Ignis answered confidently.

Justin spun toward him. “What are you doing? It’s the Internet!”

[The Ethereal Interface is incorrect. You have been logged as a Level 5 threat. Continued incorrect answers will increase your threat level until you reach the maximum.]

At that moment, a grinding, mechanical whir echoed through the chamber. From the open archway, several constructs clicked toward them, their crystals pulsing with sudden aggression.

“Take care of them,” Justin barked. “And Ignis, don’t answer any more questions, damn it!”

Ignis crossed his arms. “My answer is right, too!”

“No, it’s not! Say nothing unless I ask! The stakes are too high.”

Ignis muttered something under his breath, then sighed. “Fine. Your show.”

A construct lunged toward Emberlyn, and she blasted it apart with a column of fire. Sparks rained down on the marble floor.

“Get on with it!” Eldrin shouted, knocking an arrow and firing it into another construct’s eye-crystal.

Justin turned back to the Keeper.

[Question Five: The Founders recorded a flag with 52 stars and 13 stripes. What did this represent?]

52 stars? His heart pounded. A trick question? There was no U.S. flag with 52 stars. Unless…

Behind him, the clash of metal filled the chamber as Lila flipped over a construct’s back, burying twin daggers into its joints.

Justin clenched his jaw. If the Founders were indeed from Earth and had come here sometime in Earth’s future, perhaps that future was one where the United States had two more states.

He had nothing else.

“The United States.”

The crystal flickered.

[Correct.]

Justin exhaled in relief. How many more questions were there? If it asked something from Earth’s future that couldn’t be figured out with simple logic, he would be out of luck.

[Question Six: The Founders recorded a great rivalry between two superpowers, locked in competition for technological and ideological dominance. This conflict lasted decades but never erupted into a direct war between them. What was this conflict called?]

Justin thought he knew the answer, but what if it referred to some future event?

Again, he had to make an educated guess.

“The Cold War.”

A too long pause.

[Correct.]

A shrill mechanical screech cut through the chamber as another construct collapsed under Emberlyn’s molten flames.

“More incoming!” Eldrin warned.

Justin swallowed hard.

Faster. I have to go faster.

[Question Seven: The Founders recorded a place where metal behemoths traveled on black rivers, guided by glowing signals of red, yellow, and green. What were these called?]

The phrasing threw him, but he focused on the keywords. Metal behemoths, black rivers, signals of red, yellow, and green.

It could only be one thing.

“Cars…on roads. And traffic lights.”

[Answer deemed: Acceptable.]

A sharp, metallic clang behind him.

“Justin, watch out!”

Justin activated Gentleman’s Sidestep, spinning just as a construct lunged for his back. Emberlyn caught the machine in a flash of fire, and it exploded into a spray of molten shards that fell toward the Vein of Aetherius beneath.

No time to thank her.

[Question Eight: The Founders documented a species that once roamed their world—noble beasts known as “terrible lizards.” Their bones were uncovered in vast numbers, proving their ancient reign. What were these creatures called?]

“Dinosaurs!” he screamed over the noise.

[Correct.]

The ground trembled as a Champion-class construct crashed into the floor, sending dust and broken tiles flying. Lila tumbled away, narrowly dodging its crushing limbs.

“Could really use you wrapping this up!” she shouted.

[Question Nine: The Founders recorded they developed a method to combine the smallest of elements, unleashing energy significant enough to flatten entire cities. By what name was this discovery known?]

“Fission!” he called out.

[Incorrect.]

His blood ran cold. What?

Then it hit him. It said, “combine,” not “split.”

“Fusion!” he corrected.

[You have been logged as a Level 6 threat.]

The constructs surged forward with renewed aggression. More poured into the chamber from the archway. At least a dozen.

Eldrin cursed. “How many of these things are there?!”

Justin’s pulse pounded in his ears.

[Last Question: The Founders documented a time when a great war engulfed their world, lasting from the year 2055 to 2068. Hundreds of millions perished. What was the name of this war, the result of which led to the Founders coming to the Aetherion?]

His stomach dropped. How the hell was he supposed to know that? There was so much to unpack from a single question.

But, with their lives on the line, he could only worry about giving the correct answer. What was the name of this conflict?

There was only one answer that might fit. If hundreds of millions truly perished, it suggested a scale of destruction that belonged only to a world war.

“World War III?”

A long silence. The Keeper Crystal flickered.

[Answer deemed: Acceptable. You have passed the test with 80% accuracy and have been given limited control. Welcome, Founder.]

At once, the constructs froze.

The sudden silence was deafening.

Justin turned to see at least twenty constructs gathered on the stairs, anywhere from Level 20 to 25, including three of the larger Guardians.

He exhaled, wiping sweat from his brow.

“Well,” he muttered. “That could have gone worse.”

The rest of them visibly relaxed. A few more seconds would have seen people dying.

“You did it?” Lila asked.

Justin nodded. “Yeah. Barely.”

Two wrong answers. One more and they would have certainly been done for.

“What now?” Emberlyn asked. “Are you able to control them?”

Justin returned his attention to the crystal. “We’re about to find out.”