"Does this mean war?"
"No," he replied. "It means preparation."
Another voice, sharper. "Preparation for what?"
Ervin didn't dodge it. "For something that doesn't care about our borders."
Behind him, leaders from all continents stood in a loose line. Not posed. Not coordinated. Just there.
A broadcast banner scrolled across screens across Qiyun.
WORLD CONCORD FORMED — CONTINENTAL LEADERS AGREE ON JOINT DEFENSE
In taverns, people leaned closer to crystal screens.
In homes, families turned the volume up.
In markets, conversations stopped mid-sentence.
Back inside, Selene murmured to Ren, "This is the part where everyone says they saw it coming."
Ren didn't smile. "They didn't."
Outside the Archive walls, horns sounded again. Longer this time. Not alarm. Mobilization.
Troops began moving. Not rushing. Not panicking.
Marching.
