The evacuation of the Outer Ring was a logistical nightmare.
Sanctum was a city built in circles. The inner circle, home to the Palace and the wealthy districts, was protected by high walls. The outer circle was a sprawl of wooden tenements, markets, and slums.
Commander Varric stood on the ramparts, shouting orders through a magical amplifier.
"Move! Take only what you can carry! Get behind the inner walls! If you stay, you get stepped on by the stone titan!"
Below, a river of people flowed through the gates. Carts laden with furniture, crying children, and livestock clogged the streets. It smelled of unwashed bodies, and the cold air was filled with panic.
Mirabelle stood in the War Room tower, watching the exodus. Her hands were clasped behind her back, gripping her own wrist so hard her knuckles were white.
"They are terrified," she whispered.
"They should be," Revas said.
