The streets opened wide as they moved away from the harbor.
Stone avenues stretched ahead in clean lines, broad enough for traffic that never came. Windows stood unshuttered, doors closed but undamaged, signs hanging neatly above shops that looked ready to open at any moment. It felt like walking through a city caught mid-breath, everything in place, nothing progressing. On the outer islands, emptiness had meant ruin. Here, it meant suspension.
Noel walked at the front without rushing, steps steady, attention spread outward rather than forward. Noir stayed close to his shadow, her presence brushing against his awareness as she tracked the same invisible currents he did. The pull ahead was constant now, no longer faint, no longer ambiguous. Whatever held that much life wasn't scattered. It was centralized.
Movement broke the stillness.
