Thousands of paper lanterns drifted upward into the night sky and eclipsed the stars above Riverwatch Street. The tutorial barrier would fall at dawn to leave the valley exposed to a desperate Valorian army. The citizens of Ashguard did not barricade their doors or hide in their cellars. They poured into the central plaza beneath the Genesis Tree to celebrate their final hours of peace.
Leo manifested his avatar on the cobblestones of the lower district. He wore a simple dark coat and walked unrecognized among the celebrating crowds.
He stopped near a stone fountain where a group of soldiers sat in a tight circle. They were not drinking ale or boasting about their martial skills. They held pieces of sharp flint and carved shallow lines into the dark steel of their heavy kite shields.
Le
