"Master, look!" Lucius whispered, holding up a map that was larger than his own torso.
It was a depiction of the continent from before the Great Divide. The colors were faded, but the detail was immense.
"It has the Blackspire mountains on it. See? They look like tiny teeth."
Julian walked over and leaned down, looking at where the boy's small finger was pointing.
Seeing North drawn in the ink of the Holy Empire felt strange. It was a reminder that while the borders were closed, the world's history was still shared.
"It's a beautiful map, Lucius," Julian said quietly as he stroked Lucius' hair. "Keep it nearby. We might need to compare it to the newer ones later."
"Yes!"
Julian stood back up and continued his slow circuit of the room. He was looking for the gaps—the places where the history felt too polished or where the records suddenly stopped.
