The fall out of the Drowned Chapters wasn't dramatic.
There was no light.
No explosion.
Just a snap — like a page being turned back by an impatient reader.
Kai stumbled forward, boots hitting paved marble.
Clean. Impossibly clean.
Behind him, Seris caught herself mid-fall, blue lightning fading around her limbs.
They stood in a wide city square.
People milled about, smiling, laughing. Music floated from crystal speakers. There were no guards. No taxes. No beggars.
It was perfect.
Which meant…
It was wrong.
[System Alert: Timeline Instance – Capital Prime v0.91]
Status: Constructed Reality
Purpose: Romantic Fulfillment Scenario
Narrative Quality: "Idealized Love Interest Arc"
Warning: Emotional Distortion Field Active
Kai's stomach dropped.
"Why does everything smell like cinnamon and lies?"
Seris sniffed the air. "It's fake happiness. Tastes like soap."