Chapter 1549

The petals thinned but never stopped. They became part of the air, like dust made of memory, of skin, of breath. People walked through it like it was holy smoke, brushing it from their faces only to have it sink into their palms, into their chests. The square glowed dimly now, not from light above, but from the people themselves. Hundreds of them - maybe more - gathered in clusters of warmth, touch, laughter, and silent awe. Some still knelt, overwhelmed. Some stood, trembling. Others danced without music, as if the rhythm had finally reached them from beneath the earth.