The next week brought an overwhelming surge of clients. Crestfall Risk Shield became the busiest place in Aerilon aside from the guild hall itself. Every morning before sunrise a long line of adventurers formed outside the office. Some wanted basic risk readings. Others wanted full actuarial predictions. Teams requested mission strategy sessions. Even merchants asked for hazard assessments on trade routes. Evan’s system had reshaped the entire city faster than he expected.

But with growth came strain. The enhanced Magic Risk Indicator processed hundreds of readings per day. The crystals hummed constantly and the purple glow dimmed slightly each evening. Evan noticed the decline with concern. The fate resonance crystal Lira had installed was powerful but volatile. If it became misaligned the predictions could distort. He needed to recalibrate the device but could not close the office during peak demand.

One morning Elira approached him with worry on her face. Evan she said the readings from the Forest of Ash values are unstable. Yesterday the hazard curve predicted low danger but today your device shows moderate fluctuation. Evan reviewed the data. She was right. The mana drift curve differed more than expected. He ran a second reading and obtained another variation. That was unusual. His system was designed to predict fluctuation ranges but this spread was inconsistent.

Mira brought him more reports from the guild. Three adventurers returned from the Forest of Ash complaining about strange echoes, unstable terrain, and pockets of cold air. Evan checked his models. The future curve for that region showed erratic changes. Something did not match the historical patterns. Garron and Draven joined him at the table. Draven tapped the parchment. This is not normal he said. The forest remains stable except during winter storms. It is far too early for instability.

Evan nodded. The device may be drifting he said. Or something is altering the region more rapidly than expected. Elira considered both possibilities. If the device is drifting we must recalibrate it she said. But if the forest is changing then the entire prediction curve must be reworked. That would require days of analysis. Days the city did not have.

Evan decided to monitor other regions for comparison. He used the device to measure residual mana from dungeons, caverns, and patrol routes. Some readings were consistent. Others were chaotic. The variables multiplied. Evan realized the truth. It was not calibration drift. It was the world itself. Danger cycles were accelerating. Mana pressure increased at unpredictable times. Curse density rose without warning. The system he created highlighted the instability vividly. The world’s equilibrium was fracturing.

But the city did not understand this. Adventurers trusted his predictions. Guild officials relied on his forecasts. If the hazard curves became unstable and he failed to warn them disaster would follow. Evan felt the weight of this realization. He needed to discover the cause of the instability before someone died.

That afternoon Lira arrived unexpectedly. She carried a wooden box filled with arcane tools. I heard your readings are fluctuating she said. Evan explained the inconsistent results. Lira inspected the crystal alignment and performed a quick enchantment check. The device is not at fault she concluded. Something external is influencing the future resonance curve. Something strong enough to distort the probability layer.

Garron frowned. Could it be the Umbra Brokers. Lira shook her head. Their curse magic is potent but does not affect fate alignment at this scale. Evan stared at the purple glow and felt a cold thought form. If not the Umbra Brokers then what. Elira sensed his distress. She placed a hand on his shoulder. You should rest. Evan shook his head. No. I must find the source. If danger grows too rapidly our predictions become unreliable. We cannot protect anyone if our foundation collapses.

That evening Evan closed the office early for the first time since opening. The city protested but Mira and Garron kept the crowd calm. Evan needed uninterrupted analysis. He spread dozens of parchment sheets across the floor. He reorganized data sets. He charted every hazard curve from the last week. He compared locations, curse signatures, mana drift speeds, monster migration cycles, and life energy fluctuations. Hours passed. The lantern burned low. Elira brought tea but Evan barely drank.

Finally he found a pattern. A subtle but consistent disturbance in every region experiencing unpredictable fluctuation. A resonance signature. A faint consistent echo. It appeared in all readings tied to instability. Evan recognized the type. Curse resonance but refined. Concentrated. Guided by intention, not chance. Someone was manipulating the flow of danger across multiple regions.

Evan spoke quietly. They are accelerating the hazard cycles. Elira looked shocked. Who. Evan pointed to the readings. The Umbra Brokers. They are not just creating cursed scrolls. They are altering the entire adventurer ecosystem. Garron slammed his fist on the desk. That explains the ruins. Draven nodded grimly. They want chaos to grow. They want death to feed whatever cycle they follow.

Evan understood the implications. If the Umbra Brokers could manipulate regional danger patterns, then even the Divination Actuarial Model required constant recalibration. And if the city relied on Crestfall Risk Shield without understanding the instability they would walk into unpredictable disasters.

He updated the risk board with new warnings. Zones with accelerated danger. Zones with inconsistent probability curves. Zones at risk of curse surges. The board looked more chaotic than ever. Mira stared at it with wide eyes. We cannot keep up with all this she said. Evan nodded. That is why we need a new phase.

He revealed a parchment titled Phase Two Implementation. It included ideas he had drafted secretly. Distributed risk monitors. Divination-based hazard towers. A network of crystals placed across the city to collect ambient mana drift. Garron lifted an eyebrow. You want to monitor the entire region. Evan nodded. If danger can be measured with distance we can map it.

Elira studied the design. This requires a team of diviners. And a lot of crystals. Evan replied We will gather them. The world is changing faster than anyone realized. We must change with it.

Draven crossed his arms. And what about the Umbra Brokers. Evan answered They want to spread shadows. We will become the light that reveals their paths.

He looked at the device one last time. The crystals glowed faintly. The future curve pulsed like a heartbeat. The world was entering a new unstable era. Crestfall Risk Shield needed to evolve before darkness consumed the city.

Tomorrow they would begin.