Umbra was too quiet.
The wind that welcomed them at the gates didn't carry its usual biting chill, nor the distant chime of bells or the bustle of early vendors. No greetings from the sentries. No idle chatter from the watchtowers. Just stillness. An unnatural stillness that pressed on Kazuki's chest the moment he stepped onto the bridge.
Kazuki's boots clicked softly against the stone path. Hoshino walked beside him, her brows pinched as her sketchbook remained unopened for once. Ryo, uncharacteristically silent, kept a hand close to the dagger at his belt, eyes scanning the rooftops.
"This isn't right," Leo said quietly, breaking the silence as his eyes swept across the skyline. "Where are the patrols?"
Kaelis was the first to break rank. She took a few swift steps forward and knelt at the base of the inner gate, her fingers brushing a smear on the ground. "This is fresh. Scorch marks. Aether burns. Controlled, but recent. Less than a day old."
