[Veltharr — Day 20 — Afternoon]
The second day in Veltharr had the specific texture of the final hours before something that can't be postponed.
The team knew it. No one said it.
Maya checked the gear for the second time that afternoon—the crystal lanterns, the ropes, the potions organized by type and priority of use. Kira cleaned and inspected each arrow individually. Raven practiced Blood Weapon transitions outside the inn until the innkeeper asked her to move farther away because she was scaring the other guests.
Emily prepared the herbalist's plant extract following the instructions to the letter.
Grim held the stone Maya had given him from Khar'Seth and said nothing.
Alex looked at the Catacombs map until he had the levels memorized with his eyes closed.
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[Roof of The Split Rock — 8:00 PM]
Grim had come up before Alex.
When Alex arrived, the skeleton was at the edge of the roof looking north, toward the Catacombs, visible as a dark formation against the night sky.
