Winter had survived long enough to read small warnings: the wrong moth pattern, an open space held too long, a room offering comfort too conveniently. His cynicism sounded cruel to visitors, but it had been shaped by a place where optimism could lead directly into a trap.
Glimmers complicated that lesson. These luminous companions embodied hopes and memories that the House had not consumed. The Wanderer recognised an echo of Kamigawa in hers, while others confronted the absence or delayed appearance of their own. Hope could expose them, yet it also provided direction.
Local survivors were not merely victims waiting for rescuers from outside. They had communities, signals and practices built under constant pressure. Following Winter meant accepting knowledge earned through compromises the visitors had not yet been forced to make.