The morning sun rose over Haven, casting long shadows across the village square. William stood at the edge of the healing house, watching the procession of students who had come to learn. They were young, mostly—barely more than children—with eager eyes and steady hands. Some had come from Veridias. Some from the eastern valleys. Some from the mountain villages that dotted the old empire.
Vesper stood at the front of the group, her white eyes scanning their faces. She had changed in the years since the Council's fall. Her voice was softer, her hands gentler. She had found purpose in healing, and it had transformed her.
"Welcome," she said. "You have come to learn. To heal. To serve. That is a noble calling."
A young woman stepped forward. Her name was Lyra, from the eastern valleys. Her
