The ones who were waiting
(Arielle) By nightfall, the territory no longer felt like Kael’s. Not entirely. The structure remained intact. Guards still moved through the corridors with disciplined precision. Orders were still obeyed instantly. The lower levels had been stabilised after the incident, and no further collapses had been reported. But underneath all of it, something fundamental had shifted. Arielle could feel it everywhere. Not visibly. Not physically. But in the way awareness moved through the territory now—like invisible currents beneath still water. Every person she passed reacted differently to her presence. Some lowered their gaze instinctively. Others stared too long before catching themselves. A few withdrew immediately, as if proximity itself unsettled them. And the worst part was— she c
- Writer
