Location: Obsidian Academy — Base of Mountain → Interior
Date/Time: 18 Ashwhisper, 9938 AZI
Realm: Lower Realm
Dawn came cold and grey. Late Ashwhisper — winter's last grip on the Southern Reaches, the air sharp enough to sting exposed skin. Jayde's breath misted as she and Eden joined the flow of bodies moving through the city toward the mountain's base.
The flow was the wrong word. It was a flood.
