The day of departure arrived beneath a gray morning sky that felt heavier than usual over Sector 11.
The square had not yet filled completely, but movement had already begun in every street leading toward it. People stepped out of their homes quietly, many still wearing the same tired clothes from daily work, as though even on a day like this no one possessed enough spirit to dress differently.
Tyler walked alone through one of the side streets toward the square, his pace steady and his expression calm.
He had already left behind the abandoned garage, the copied batteries, the leaking machine, and the notes of his experiments. For now, nothing more could be done inside Sector 11.
As he turned past a narrow alley, Old Lady Veena appeared from the side as if she had been waiting specifically for him.
She still carried her faded umbrella despite there being no rain, and her old circular drone floated quietly near her shoulder.
"I already met the Embers," she said without greeting.
