Rain fell in soft, steady threads over the outer walls of the Sound Clan. The ground smelled of damp stone and ancient timber.
Vale walked alone through the corridors, his footsteps muted against the wet floor. The rumors of the "anti-magic" student had reached the inner quarters, and whispers clung to him like a shadow.
Elder Rin awaited him at the central hall. Candlelight flickered across the carved wooden panels, casting dancing patterns on the walls.
"You heard the Covenant's decree," Rin said without looking up from the parchment in his hands.
Vale nodded. "They… they fear what cannot echo."
Rin finally raised his eyes, sharp and calculating. "Fear has teeth. And teeth bite those who hesitate."
Vale swallowed. The Covenant—the group of elders who governed not just the Sound Clan, but all minor resonance families in the region—was known for exacting judgment. Their reach was long, and their memory longer.
"They've summoned you," Rin continued, "not for punishment, but for observation. They want to see if you are a threat—or a tool."
Vale's pulse quickened. Observation was not harmless. The Covenant had a way of shaping futures with nothing more than a word, a glance, or a nod.
"Do I have a choice?" he asked.
Rin's smile was thin. "Choice is a luxury for those whose resonance follows the prescribed path. You… might need to carve your own."
Vale glanced toward the rain-slick windows. Beyond the walls, the city slept beneath three moons. Each reflected a different truth, but the Covenant's shadow fell over all of them.