The Thombo Excavation

Siferra 89's archaeological dig at Beklimot uncovers evidence of periodic catastrophic fires, linking to the eclipse cycle.

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The Sandstorm

A Near Disaster The Storm Hits Siferra 89, an archaeologist, is excavating the ancient city of Beklimot on the Sagikan Peninsula when a massive sandstorm threatens to destroy the site. She and her team take cover, fearing the loss of years of work. A Miraculous Revelation The storm passes, but instead of burying the site, it has stripped away layers of soil, exposing the Hill of Thombo. Siferra sees multiple layers of ancient settlements, each separated by a layer of charcoal—evidence of repeated fires. The Discovery Siferra and her stratigrapher Balik 338 realize they have found a sequence of cities built and destroyed by fire over thousands of years. The pattern suggests a cycle of destruction.

The Thombo Tablets

Ancient Writings The Find In the exposed layers, Siferra discovers six clay tablets—the Thombo Tablets. They are inscribed in ancient scripts, some predating known writing. She brings them to paleographer Mudrin 505 for translation. Preliminary Translations Mudrin identifies word patterns and suggests the tablets describe the destruction of cities by fire, sent by angry gods. The timing matches the 2,049-year cycle of the Apostles of Flame. Theft by Apostles Just before the eclipse, the tablets are stolen from Siferra's safe. She suspects the Apostles of Flame, who have a vested interest in the prophecies. The theft deepens her distrust of the cult.

The Evidence Presented

Corroboration The Meeting Siferra presents her findings to Athor, Beenay, and Sheerin. The radiocarbon dating of the charcoal layers shows fires occurring approximately every 2,049 years—the same period as the predicted eclipse. A Unified Theory The archaeological evidence, combined with the astronomical calculations, confirms that the eclipse will trigger mass insanity and fires, just as in the past. Siferra's work becomes crucial to understanding the cyclical nature of the catastrophe. Personal Conflict Siferra is torn between her scientific duty and her fear of being associated with the Apostles. She initially wants to suppress the findings but eventually agrees to help warn the world.

early in the story, concurrent with Sheerin's investigation

after the sandstorm, before the eclipse

during the secret meeting of scientists