Midnight.The evening guards made their way toward the portal platform in the loose, unhurried formation that characterized the end of a shift. They'd been on duty since sunset, and while nothing particularly exciting had happened, eight hours of standing around in armor still left its mark. A few stretched their shoulders as they walked. Others unbuckled pieces of gear that had been digging into uncomfortable spots all evening.The midnight rotation was already emerging from the portal, looking fresh and alert. The portal itself hummed with the low, steady vibration that indicated it would remain stable for another few minutes.Long enough for the guard exchange to complete.Gaston Vel, one of the evening guards, spotted a familiar face among the incoming group and raised his hand in greeting. "Jorik! There you are. How'd your day off treat you?"Jorik Thane looked up, adjusting the strap of his equipment pack. He was average height with brown hair and the kind of unremarkable features that made him blend into crowds without effort. "Day off? Can't complain. Slept until noon, visited the market, tried not to think about coming back here.""Living the dream," Gaston said with a grin. "Hey, weird question, but did you do anything unusual today? Besides the sleeping and market thing."Jorik's expression shifted slightly, becoming more guarded. "Unusual? Not really. Why?""Magus Adom Sylla was asking about you earlier. Asked if you were working today, seemed to be checking on something specific about you." Gaston shrugged. "Probably just making sure he had the schedules straight, but it was a little odd. He asked about you by name.""He asked about me specifically?" There was something in Jorik's voice that didn't quite match casual curiosity. A tightness around the edges."Yeah. 'Is Jorik Thane working today?' that sort of thing. When I said you were midnight rotation, he seemed satisfied." Gaston (...)