Flashback—Two Days Ago
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The room was shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by the soft amber glow of a single oil lamp. Its flame flickered gently, as if weary from the late hour.
Shadows stretched across the walls of Sage's bedroom, long and uneven, creeping over shelves, the edge of the bed, and the scattered chaos of parchment that lay strewn across the floor like fallen leaves after a storm.
Sage reclined on his back atop the bed, still wearing his boots. One leg dangled over the side while the other rested comfortably bent at the knee.
A thick stack of papers lay on his chest, held down by one hand as his other moved steadily across the page,scratching, pausing, scratching again, as ink soaked into parchment with relentless patience.
The sound was rhythmic: scratch. Pause. Scratch.
Article One: On Guild Membership and Conduct.
Article Two: On Mission Allocation and Dispute Resolution.
Article Three: On Rewards, Penalties, and Revocation of Status.
