~Kaida Orion POV~
We approached the river mouth under midnight's pale moon, the water flowed wide and slow from city gates into the basin beyond. Fog simmered just above the surface, rising in gentle spirals. The air smelled of salt, root ink, and cold promise.
Biat led, chest strapped to his back, and the Moon Priest kept close, staff glowing faint. The golden-eyed stranger in the rear moved silent as a shadow as I walked between them, cloak tight around my shoulders, knowing contract echoes might flicker at any stone in our step.
"This place is where Weaver's root leaks into the delta," the stranger murmured. "All echo slips cascade here. We need to find the central well."
Moon Priest added: "Once you trace the source, you may collapse the stream. But it's dangerous. Only a Silverline vow can unwrite that knot."
