Kara Vale is Valleteian, originally from the mysterious Kingdom of Seas. She grew up hearing fantastical tales of Elysium and of benevolent monarchies guiding their people through stars of time.

For Cassius, it was as if the sunstones had finally dropped their masquerade and had instead become omens and auguries of an endless onyx abyss through which Elysium may never reach. In an environment where he was meant to be a torchbearer in the absence of starlight in the night, the crushing sense of responsibility was hard to bear, and he had nowhere to focus action into something tangible.

High above, the Valleteian ship Pelagia remained stationed in the upper atmosphere, a gleaming silhouette against the sky. Its sensors were locked westward, tracking the tsunami’s advance.