Chapter 852 Xosa Valley Rules

• Nine peals from the stone bell rolled through Xosa Valley, each strike echoing against distant cliffs like a summons from the gods themselves.
• Before the reverberations faded, every heavyweight of the sect gathered on the broad flagstones of the council hall—elders, guardians, and faction leaders alike. High above, on a dais carved from black granite, sat the four deputy valley masters, their auras so dense the air around them seemed to warp. Most of those present wore the same expression—eyebrows pinched, eyes clouded with unanswered questions about this urgent assembly.
• Jarvis Shrewsbury, one of the four deputies, rose first. His silver-threaded robe whispered across the steps as he moved to the railing, voice deep enough to still the muttering crowd.