Date: TC1853.07.25 — Morning
Location: Seven Peaks — Central Plaza
The summons came at dawn.
Tomas Wei had been tending his rice seedlings when the formation-bells chimed across all seven peaks—three long notes followed by two short, the signal for mandatory assembly. Around him, other agricultural disciples straightened from their work, exchanging confused glances. Full sect assemblies were rare. They'd had exactly two since the founding: the opening ceremony and the disciple acceptance announcements.
Something significant was happening.
He cleaned soil from his hands and followed the stream of disciples flowing toward the central plaza at Verdant Spire's base. The morning air carried the scent of dew-touched grass and the faint metallic tang of formation energy—the living architecture humming with increased activity as hundreds of people converged on a single location.
The plaza had transformed overnight.
