The silence in the Kagu Ancestral Estate's courtyard was absolute, heavier than the reinforced shields shimmering overhead. We stood amidst the gathered might of Earth's defenders – nine Peak Radiants, Alice, Tiamat's imposing projection – yet the atmosphere was thick with the chilling residue of Alyssara's contemptuous withdrawal. Her dismissal, her sheer disappointment, echoed louder than any threat.
Suspended in the air before me, where the last vestiges of her oppressive presence had lingered, hung the impossible letter. Ancient parchment, sealed with the strange crest of a sightless tree and a watchful eye, pulsed with a faint, internal golden light. It felt alien, yet undeniably directed, a final, deliberate message left in her wake.
