Chapter 59 Anticipation

The figure before them, a swirling vortex of energy and light, spoke not with its voice but with a telepathic resonance that echoed directly in their minds. "Welcome, travelers from afar. We have been expecting you." Friesland, Elizabeth, and the Scholar exchanged bewildered glances. How could this entity, from a world beyond their wildest dreams, possibly be expecting them? Friesland, ever the pragmatist, stepped forward, his voice cautious. "Who are you? And how do you know we're here?" The figure shimmered, its form coalescing into a vaguely humanoid shape with flowing tendrils of light. "We are the Keepers," the telepathic voice resonated. "Guardians of this city, preservers of ancient knowledge. Your arrival, marked by the whispers and the activation of the monolith, was foreseen." The Scholar, his eyes wide with wonder, took a tentative step forward. "Foreseen? How is that possible?" "The fabric of existence is interconnected, a vast web of energy and information. Your journ