Chapter 26 · Rival's Epilogue

Corin sent one package before leaving city—sixty-three marbles, each labeled with a day.

Note: *I remember all. Don't waste the one.*

Kael kept marbles in jar.

Dorian said, "He'll come back."

"Maybe as ally."

"Maybe as problem."

Progress.

Kael trained wards publicly, helped Renn pass exams, walked harbor at dusk.

Scar beautiful now—aurora over water.

City council debated power sources to replace breach harvest.

Academy faced scandal, reform, funding cuts—and survived.

Kael faced something harder: ordinary time.

Months after the loop, Kael learned ordinary time had its own grind. Corin's marbles arrived—sixty-three labeled days, note: *Don't waste the one.* Dorian said he'd return as ally or problem. Harbor scar bloomed aurora nightly. Council debated replacement power. Academy survived scandal limping.

Ashford house invitation came. Brothers attended together. Uncle shook hands. Mother bright-eyed. Reparations discussed over wine that didn't taste of iteration. Walking back, Dorian admitted hate and trust could coexist.

Liora performed in city square—music magic legal, crowd listening without hidden countdown. "Compose without guns pointed at time," she told Kael. He chose study and life over obsession.

Miren's ghost visited observatory final time. "Loop ended not upgraded. Rare." Handed complete Underground Syllabus. "Guard it. Time will tempt again.