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BOOK 1: BEYOND THE ICE WALL - Chapter 22: The Outer Dock (by Clive J. Welan)

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Chapter 22: The Outer Dock The outer dock was nothing like the rest of the harbor—darker, quieter, and feeling… abandoned, with old wooden planks creaking under every step and only a few working lights left while many had already gone out, yet it was precisely in places like this that important things happened unseen and unrecorded. Rhevan walked ahead, his steps slower now, more careful. “We’re almost there,” he whispered. Pierre glanced around. “I don’t like this place.” Quianna replied quietly, “That’s because your instincts still work.” Eljireh said nothing, his eyes fixed forward, where at the end of the dock… the ship came into view—not large, not striking, yet clearly different from the others, dark, still, as if it didn’t want to be found. “That’s it,” Rhevan said. They stopped a few meters from the ship. Silence. No sound. No movement. Pierre whispered, “Why does this feel like a trap?” Rhevan didn’t answer immediately. “Because everything that leads south… always does.” Foots...

BOOK 1: BEYOND THE ICE WALL - Chapter 21: Before the Departure (by Clive J. Welan)

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Chapter 21: Before the Departure Night came faster than they expected, the sky above the harbor covered in dark clouds, the sea wind blowing stronger as if the world itself knew… something was about to change. Inside the warehouse, dim lights flickered, the map still spread across the table, the route south still visible, tomorrow night—just one day away. Quianna sat in front of the screen, checking the data again—coordinates, timing, ocean currents—before letting out a quiet breath. “This is insane…” Pierre stood near the door, staring outside. “I’ve stopped trying to find a better word.” Rhevan entered quickly. “We don’t have much time.” Everyone turned. “There’s been a change,” he said. Eljireh stood immediately. “Global Council?” Rhevan nodded. “They’ve tightened surveillance at the main harbor.” Pierre exhaled. “Just like we expected.” Quianna asked, “What about the outer dock?” Rhevan replied, “Still usable.” “But not for long.” Silence. Eljireh spoke quietly, “That means we have...

BOOK 1: BEYOND THE ICE WALL - Chapter 20: The Route South (by Clive J. Welan)

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Chapter 20: The Route South The rain had finally stopped, but the air still felt damp, cold, and heavy as they returned to the small room at the harbor, the dim yellow light flickering softly while the door was shut tight and the thin man immediately took the storage device from Quianna’s hand. “Good,” he said. “You’re still alive.” Pierre dropped into a chair. “Barely.” Quianna stood beside the table. “Open the data.” The man didn’t reply; he was already working, his fingers moving quickly across the keyboard as the screen flickered and data began to appear—lines upon lines of coordinates, dates, and codes. “Here it is…” he said quietly. “Southern Access Logs.” Silence. Everyone moved closer. Eljireh stared at the screen, his heart beating faster. “Are these all the people who tried to go south?” Pierre asked. “Not all,” the man replied. “Only those who… almost made it.” Quianna frowned. “Almost?” The man pointed at several entries. “Some disappeared.” “Some returned.” “Some… were nev...