The Mapmaker’s Vanishing North

At noon, trumpets sounded in the public square. The chief surveyor unrolled a map of the grand observatory standing on empty hills.

Ivo’s knees shook. Master Orra stood among the crowd, saying nothing.

Then Ivo climbed the fountain and released the living map.

It soared above the square like a great parchment bird, carrying Northbank’s chosen streets across its wings.