The elite commercial district of Zenith Academy was a world away from the rusted steam and iron of the Labyrinth. Here, the walkways were paved with white marble that had been polished until it reflected the sky: and the air carried the scent of expensive incense and blooming jasmine. There was no mud here. There were no bloodstains or the ozone tang of spent mana.
Vane walked with a deliberate, steady pace. He did not hunch his shoulders or look at the ground. Even in his simple medical robe, he carried himself with the same cold authority he had used to rule the back alleys of Oakhaven. People stared as the group passed. They did not stare with the pity they usually reserved for commoners. They stared with a wide eyed, frantic curiosity. The tablet rankings had been public for less than two hours, and the face of the "King of the Hub" was already the most famous image on the archipelago.
