---
Brann stood by the door, a long shadow that did not waste steps. Edda leaned a hip on the table, rolling a knife in her fingers without looking at it. Rusk watched the spirit jar as if a mouse might try to lift its own lid. The bronze ring held a slow quiet note. Fizz slept inside like an ember under glass.
Somewhere in the city, a tower took a breath and let a single bell fall into the dawn.
First bell.
Brann's head tilted. "We move on the second," he said. Calm. Professional.
Edda smirked at John's quiet eyes. "Don't worry, boy," she said. "You'll live to hand over. They paid for breathing."
Rusk poked the jar with a knuckle and whispered, "Ugly little lantern."
The metronome kept counting everyone's patience.
[System: Mana flow restoration complete. Core access: partial → full. Peripheral binds: copper interference detected. Recommend: micro-field, low radius, low draw.]
