Chapter One: The End of the Map

A gate rose from the fog. VALLON was carved above it. Lin searched every offline map; no Vallon existed. Beyond the gate, crooked roofs leaned toward a central street. Every window glowed warmly, but not a soul moved behind the glass. The coach stopped beside a dry fountain. As the engine died, its clock jumped from 00:23 to 05:12. The church bell struck five. Each note seemed to sink underground, returning much later from the empty riverbed. Sergei opened the door. Cold air carried the smell of wet timber and river mud. He faced them for the first time, his skin pale as if sunlight had not touched it in years. “At six-oh-seven, this coach returns. Only one service. To board, recover the item you lost aboard the Eurydice.”