The dawn light hit the mountain peaks, catching the warm, unfamiliar fragrance drifting through the high wind.
Down in the outer courtyard, the cold white jade had disappeared under a flurry of motion. Shaurya moved between the massive pillars, pulling fresh supplies directly from his storage ring onto the stone. Baskets overflowing with round, golden-orange marigolds rested against stacks of deep red roses, while long bolts of weightless magenta and saffron silk spilled over the floorboards.
"Keep the weave tight," Jun Hua's voice called out over the rustle of fabric.
She stood at the base of a towering jade pillar with her team, her fingers moving in a practiced rhythm as she bound garlands of orange marigolds alongside trailing cherry blossom stems.
