Arthur, the lighting apprentice, and his assistant Beatrice discover that the primary junction box for the Town Square Spruce is missing, noticing residue matching the grey dust seen elsewhere in town. Toby, a young history enthusiast, interrupts them, having found historical documentation linking the Spruce’s structural integrity to non-metallic felt padding originally sourced from the Old Ice-Sculpting Workshop. Toby explains that this felt was meant to insulate the tree’s anchor points from ground resonance, specifically vibrations that mimic the frequency needed for the Solstice Chime. Arthur, initially skeptical, accepts the premise after realizing the missing box could be the result of vibration fatigue. The group rushes toward the Old Ice-Sculpting Workshop, the presumed location of the solution or the source of the vibration. As they run past the Buffer Vault area, Arthur briefly hears a high-pitched whine suggesting the subterranean disturbance is active and affecting metallic objects even at the surface level.