The air over the city felt heavy in a way that no weather report could explain. The sky was clear, and the streets were calm, yet there was a quiet tension that Marcus could not ignore. He had learned to trust that feeling over the years, because it had guided him through danger before. Peace had lasted longer than anyone expected, and prosperity had grown deep roots. But history had taught him that long seasons of calm often hide the seeds of a final trial. He sensed that something larger than trade disputes or digital probes was beginning to move.
The first sign came from within the Regional Stability Forum itself. One of the founding member cities announced a sudden leadership change after a disputed internal vote. The new administration immediately questioned several agreements that h
