Chapter 71 The Uneasy Tremor

The midday Sussex sun beat down on the bustling marketplace. Laughter and the rhythmic clanging of metal filled the air as artisans hammered out intricate works of Aethel-powered art. Ten years had passed since the near-destruction of the city, and Sussex City thrived once more. The scars of the Aethel Surge remained, etched into the architecture of the rebuilt structures, but they served as a constant reminder, not of failure, but of a hard-learned lesson. Friesland, his hair now streaked with silver, stood on the balcony overlooking the market. He scanned the vibrant scene below, a quiet satisfaction settling on his face. The city pulsed with life, a testament to the resilience of its people and the power of controlled Aethel utilization. A sudden tremor, a subtle vibration barely perceptible to the untrained eye, rippled through the balcony beneath him. Friesland frowned, a flicker of unease crossing his features. The tremor was faint, barely a ripple compared to the cataclysmic s