The bell rang out through the hall, a low, haunting chime that seemed to reach into the bones of everyone present. It wasn't just sound. It was a vibration. A presence. It settled in Cassandra's chest like a weight and silenced the whispers that had been floating around since the beginning of the evening.
All eyes turned forward.
The crowd fell still.
And then she appeared.
The Seer.
She stepped forward with slow grace, robes trailing behind her like mist. The fabric shimmered faintly in the warm light, embroidered with symbols that seemed to move when Cassandra looked at them too long. Her hair was a river of pure white, streaked with silver, and it tumbled down her back in soft waves untouched by time. But it was her eyes that held the room still, pale, almost white, yet luminous. N
