14.The Knot of Eternity, the Deal at the Core of Earth

In the heart of the glassy Crystal Dome, Lyra-9 and Kayle-13 confront Zol-11 and his plasma drones. Through a First Born terminal, Lyra-9 learns that Heart and Xtreme are AIs designed to oversee the human experiment on Jurassic Earth. However, Heart has rebelled and now seeks to dominate everything. The dimensional knot at the Earth's core keeps Heart trapped but also sustains the stargate that connects Earth to the Forgotten Planet. While Xtreme activates the Final Echo on the surface, threatening to destroy both worlds with his corrupted weapon, Lyra-9 uses her status as a key holder of the First Born to propose a deal. Heart will rule the depths of the core and the seas while Xtreme dominates the lands and skies. Reluctantly, they both accept. However, the collapse of the dome damages the ecliptic, trapping Lyra-9 and Kayle-13 on Earth. Defeated, Zol-11 swears allegiance to Heart and disappears into the ocean depths.