This story belongs to its author and creators, the respect and love necessary to write a tribute belongs to me.
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It was in many ways like that giant wave Serafina Pekkala had pictured weeks earlier, drowning the world, only this world was washing it clean.
The universities stepped up, keeping a semblance of organisation, taking up an ounce of authority. Unlikely leaders as scholars made, it was a necessary action as magisterium outpost after outpost in their world fell. Most people needed some help adjusting, and as the scholars were unwilling guides in this new world where no words were tabu and knowledge of all kinds were embraced, no once had to wrestle their newfound power away from them when it was no longer needed.
Throughout it all, Lord Asriel took a leading role as a Lord and scholar, and Serafina Pekkala stayed in close contact to him, leading the new world from the other side. They probably both knew that it could not continue in this way, but neither spoke up. Not, until there was some stability, a full year after that first battle, far north, which moved south as the magisterium's thinning and unprepared loyals fell like ripe corn for a scythe for their alliance.
Finally, it was time.