When Hayna walked home, the sun of Eagle Cape Village had not yet reached its zenith.
As of today, she hadn't returned home for a full four years.
In these four years, the restaurant closest to the school entrance has closed and reopened several times, switching owners thrice.
She had also transformed from the nervous country girl who knew nothing when she first arrived at Glass Island, into the personal disciple of the Grand Arbitrator, becoming friends with the Founding Families and the future queen... at least familiar faces to each other.
But her hometown remained unchanged.
The air around, the height of the trees in the mountains, the depth of the earth trodden by feet... nothing here had changed.
It was as if time itself had stilled here.
The hourglass stopped, the sun and moon motionless. In the distance, smoke from homes rose just like in her childhood.
In that moment, Hayna experienced an illusion.
