Chapter 36 Shadows In The Light

• The days after the Gathering Flame summit pulsed with a new energy. Erelith’s citizens, once shackled by fear and silence, now moved with purpose, their voices echoing through every street and alley. The city’s wounds were still visible—cracks in buildings, remnants of shattered glass, and burnt-out districts—but the pulse of life beneath the surface was undeniable.
• Amara found herself pulled in a thousand directions. The Restoration Assembly had grown from a handful of survivors into a sprawling network of committees and working groups. Every day brought new challenges: rebuilding infrastructure, securing food supplies, educating children, and healing trauma. Yet beneath it all, there was a deeper tension—an unease she couldn’t shake.
• Lucas was the first to mention it during a late-night council meeting.