clone-implantation

The chapter 'Preamble' opens with a tense scene where a biochemist is performing a secretive and illegal procedure to implant clone tracers in drugged individuals during a wild Festival night in Carbuncle, under the watchful eye of the Snow Queen. The narrative then shifts to a contrasting serene and mystical ocean journey of two islanders, Moon and Sparks, who are navigating both physical seas and cultural tensions between their Summer heritage and the technologically inclined Winters. This juxtaposition introduces key conflicts of identity, tradition versus technology, and the complex socio-political landscape of the world of Tiamat.