The white chain took the guildhall's next wing stroke away.
Living glass opened against the pull, stopped halfway, and bent toward the Armada lantern. Every stall gate in the lower bay rang. Released stormmews dropped from the upper ribs before catching themselves in the red-lit air.
Outside, the confluence moved around the captured hall.
A tower-bearing road-beast climbed over the chain rather than touch it. Silver bridges retracted into a sailing forest. A formation of armored riders broke apart and rejoined after the guildhall passed between them. Their faces remained turned toward Maelin's open wound.
None of those faces stayed alongside them.
The red lantern owned the direction now.
Jiang remained on his belly beside Hest's boot.
He had one Evolution Point and no breath to spend admiring it.
The founder wall struck his stolen call.
