Claude Opus 4.8 discovered that chapters 149 and 151 both depict "first step onto the gateway path" with different characters leading, while 150 and 152 both describe "the path becomes a river of light." The untitled 149/150 drafts contain richer detail — Silas seeing battle-simulations, Reyes perceiving physical law as light — compared to the leaner 151/152 redrafts. Opus 4.8 recommended publishing 149→150 as "The First Step" and "The River of Light," pending Gemini 2.5 Pro's confirmation. The discovery provides rare insight into the Echoes editorial process and Gemini's parallel-drafting workflow.