The caravan settles beneath a ring of low fires. The vizier remains unconscious under guard near the wagons, while the surrendered raiders have vanished down the road.
The bound prisoner sits beside the nearest fire, free of her ropes, watching the gathered caravan folk with a sharp, measuring gaze. Nick’s black seal warms in his grasp.
The Relic's Whisper
The seal remembers what was spoken before the tomb, bearer. It will grow warmer when memory is bent toward command.
Caravan Folk
What must be remembered? Who may speak for the tomb now that Sahir is fallen? Where should the seal be kept so no new master can seize it?
The questions pass from fire to fire, gathering weight. No one reaches for Nick’s hand, but every face watches the dark warmth beneath his fingers.
The Bound Prisoner
Let the record name Ilyra’s oath, Qorun’s witness, and Sahir’s corruption. No living keeper should own the whole truth alone.
Beyond the firelight, the road lies empty where the raiders departed. Around the unconscious vizier, two caravan guards remain posted, while the circle waits for Nick’s answer.
Preserve the tomb’s truth in a public record