Rooms once meant for rest turned into planning spaces. Long tables filled with maps—not of kingdoms, but of energy flows, fault lines, and zones where reality felt thinner than it should.
Seroi took charge without asking permission. His presence alone brought structure. Arkehnhall's methods weren't gentle, but they worked.
Elara came between groups, listening more than speaking. When she did speak, discussions ended quickly. Not because she dominated them but because she clarified things others refused to admit.
Ren remained at the center, though no one treated him like a warrior.
That was intentional.
"We prepare like this isn't about him," Ervin said during a closed meeting. "Because if it becomes about one person, we lose."
Ren overheard that.
He didn't disagree.
Mira noticed it too. She had some powers but she was learning it.
