Now it wasn't just a story anymore.
Caelus turned fully to face him again.
"I'll begin preparations," he said. "If those… things… are gathering strength, then I won't wait for them to come to my gates."
Rhett watched him quietly.
Caelus's expression hardened.
"…I intend to wipe them out before that happens."
A brief pause.
Then, his tone softened just a little.
"I hope your group will still be available," he said, "when that time comes."
Rhett met his gaze.
"…Depends on the job."
A faint smile tugged at Caelus's lips.
"Of course it does."
But behind that smile, the tension remained.
----
The next morning, Virel City woke up to something different.
Not the usual noise of merchants and travelers.
But drums.
Low, steady, echoing through the streets.
Boom… boom… boom…
People stepped out of their homes, looking toward the center of the city. The sound wasn't a call for trade or celebration.
It was a call to gather.
