Elara's research into countering the fear resonance yielded a peculiar lead. The old texts spoke of certain symbols, crafted from specific salvaged materials, that were used in the old world to "ground" psychic energy, to prevent emotional echoes from lingering or attracting unwanted attention. The descriptions were vague, almost mythical, but the principle resonated with her understanding of Vispera's light as a stabilizing force against the grey.
She focused on one symbol in particular: a stylized intertwined knot, often depicted near places of gathering or healing. The texts suggested crafting it from purified scrap metal and integrating small fragments of pre-Void technology that still held a faint energy signature.
It was a long shot, bordering on superstition in a world ruled by brutal pragmatism. But Captain, desperate for any edge against both the external Void and the internal fear Gus had weaponized, allowed her to try. His skepticism was evident, but the potential reward outweighed the minimal risk.
Elara worked in a quiet corner, cleaning salvaged metal scraps, shaping them into the intricate knot symbol. Kael sat nearby, watching with wide, non-trusting eyes. He felt the cold fear in the sanctuary, a constant vibration in the air. He also felt Elara's focused intent, a warm, steady presence that contrasted sharply with the fear.
As Elara worked on a symbol, Kael felt Vispera react. Vispera's warmth would pulse faintly, resonating with the salvaged materials, particularly the old tech fragments. It was a feeling of "Quiet. Here." – as if the materials themselves possessed a quality of stillness or resistance that Vispera recognized.
Elara noticed Kael's subtle reactions, noting them down. His Bedel of Trust made reading his emotional state difficult, but his sensing of the materials through Vispera provided valuable, objective data. The symbols seemed to resonate with Vispera, suggesting they held some inherent quality that aligned with light and stability against the grey.
They decided to test a completed symbol in a small, confined area known to have lingering unease – a storage room where supplies had recently gone missing, fueling paranoia. Elara placed the symbol discreetly.
Later, they brought Kael to the room. He entered cautiously, his gaze sweeping around. He still felt the general fear of the sanctuary, but as he got closer to where the symbol was placed, the feeling of fear in that immediate area seemed to... soften. The cold vibration lessened, the resonance with the external thrumming of the Void seemed to diminish slightly.
"Less... fear... here," Kael whispered, pointing towards the symbol. "Quiet... here."
Captain, observing from the doorway, felt a flicker of cautious hope. It wasn't a dramatic shift, but Kael's sensing was consistent. The symbol, or the combination of materials and intent behind it, seemed to have a localized effect on the fear resonance.
Elara documented the results meticulously. It wasn't a cure for fear, or a shield against the Void. But it was a potential tool – something that might dampen the signal their collective fear was broadcasting, making the sanctuary slightly less visible, slightly less tempting as a 'feeding pit'.
The next step was to create more symbols and strategically place them throughout the sanctuary, focusing on areas with high traffic or known to harbor significant fear. It was a fragile defense, based on ancient whispers and a child's broken perception, but in their desperate situation, any potential advantage was worth pursuing.
The chapter ends with Elara's research leading to crafting 'grounding' symbols from old world lore. Kael's sensing confirms these symbols have a localized effect on dampening the fear resonance, providing Captain and Elara with a potential (though limited) method to counter the internal vulnerability and make the sanctuary less attractive to The Void.