Chapter 85: Tempest of Shadows

The final days of summer settled over New Haven with an eerie quiet. The storm had passed, but its shadow lingered in the hearts of the people. The town bustled with activity as they worked to rebuild, but an unspoken tension hung in the air. The defenders had seen too much, fought too hard, to believe the reprieve was permanent.

George Carter walked the perimeter of the eastern gate, his boots crunching on the freshly laid gravel. The newly reinforced barricades gleamed in the morning sun, a testament to the community's determination to protect what they had built. Yet, for all the progress, George's thoughts were heavy. The shard's destruction had weakened the storm, but Akari's words haunted him: The storm was only a piece of what's out there.