He stepped out of Alistair's perception in the quiet clarity of mid-morning.
There was no dramatic flair to it. No visible transition existed between his absence and his presence.
One moment, Alistair's scan returned the usual rhythmic readings, the boundaries of the territory, the distant embers of settlement signatures, and the background hum of the Oasis, and the next, a man stood twelve meters from the base.
He had apparently been standing there for some time, yet the sensors had remained silent.
Alistair's hand moved to his Rune Sword, and at the same moment, his mind struggled to catch up with his reflexes.
"How long has he been there?" Alistair asked, his voice low.
Due was already on his feet. His hands had stopped their settling gestures entirely, and his frame went rigid.
"I don't know," Due said, and he adjusted his collar with a sharp, singular tug. "Which is the answer to several questions you haven't asked yet."
