Hyacinth (storyline)/The Circle Closes (vignette)
Gazing into the crackling fire, the figure smiles, sipping a glass of wine. Suddenly, the flames flare as an intense heat fills the room.
“Close, soon the circle will be complete,” he whispers to himself. “It has taken longer this time. But the guide is true.”
Walking the length of the room, the figure continues. “We will complete our task this time, I can feel it. The circle shall soon be closed. The spark has been fanned, the ember grows."
Sitting in her office, Zofiya exhales as a new wave of heat washes over her body. Picking up a bamboo fan, she waves it vigorously, sighing with pleasure as the cool air gives her momentary relief.
Applying pressure to her temples, the administrator breaths heavily before muttering, “We still have him in custody, perhaps it is time to try once more.” She pauses to pick up a thin piece of parchment, nodding her head as she reads the words she has reread a hundred times.
“So, the Chronomages see fit to let us work in our own time? That is a bit ironic, considering their relationship with it.” Lifting a second parchment, she places it center on her desk, picking up a small ebon quill, she begins to write.