Deciphering the Map

Back at their shelter, Meera and Lyra laid out everything they’d gathered: Tyka’s notes from the village, Meera’s sketches, and fragments of patterns they’d recorded over time.

The map began to take form.

1. Concentric Circles: These represented the likely trajectory of the storm, radiating outward in layers of intensity. At the center was the quarry, where Victor’s operations had begun to unbalance the environment.

2. Arcs and Lines: These denoted paths of safety, trails where the Creche had ensured stability. Meera cross-referenced them with known riverbeds and natural windbreaks.

3. Directional Markings: These were coordinates, guiding them to the points where action would be most critical—places where human intervention could reinforce the Creche’s efforts to stabilize the environment.

Lyra placed the key in the center of the map, aligning it with the quarry’s location. As it locked into place, the key emitted a soft glow, illuminating the pathways with radiant clarity.

“They’re asking us to act,” Lyra said, her voice steady.

Meera added, “We’ll need the villagers. They’ll listen if we show them this.”