By the next day, the city had returned to its usual rhythm. Merchants called out over their stalls, World Divers polished their weapons and prepared gear, scholars scribbled in their dusty ledgers, and ordinary citizens bustled through the streets. It was as if the change in rule hadn't shaken the heart of Stargaze City at all.
Still, in the corners of marketplaces and on the steps of taverns, whispers lingered like a persistent breeze.
"Did you see him? That man in the sky with wings of wind?" an old cobbler asked, squinting at the clouds as if expecting to see Igaris again.
"Of course I saw him," replied a butcher as he sharpened his cleaver. "That was no ordinary Diver. He looked like a god descending."
"But gods don't just show up and claim cities, do they?" muttered a scholar clutching a bag of scrolls. "It's only a matter of time before the Skadi Empire sends their hounds."
