In the marketplace:
Merchant Liam stumbled backward, gasping for air that was suddenly there again. His heart hammered in his chest.
"Did you—did you FEEL that?!" he shouted at the nearest person.
"What was THAT?!" someone screamed.
"The world went dark! I swear the world went DARK!"
"You felt it too?! I thought I was dying!"
"My Nexis—it tried to leave my body—what kind of technique does that?!"
A crowd was forming, everyone talking at once, voices rising in panic.
"The sun disappeared!"
"Don't be stupid, the sun didn't—"
"Then explain what just happened!"
"I felt cold. So cold. Like death itself—"
"Did everyone feel it?"
A chorus of "yes" rippled through the marketplace.
At the bakery:
Baker Conry clutched the counter, her knuckles white. Her assistant stared at her with huge, terrified eyes.
"Mistress... what was that?"
