The newly formed stones settled into stillness, and for a long while, nothing else happened.
No additional stones rose from the darkness between the two civilizations. Sarya remained standing on the newest one, the stone her own single step had called into being, and across the impossible distance the traveler stood on theirs, equally motionless. Neither advanced. Neither retreated. The evening light continued its slow fade around them, and the entire gathered crowd — the small group from Earth clustered at the Road's edge, and somewhere beyond them the billions watching through every screen the planet had to offer — held its collective breath, waiting for whatever came next.
Nothing came next.
The silence stretched long enough that Star, still holding Grace's hand, finally broke it with the small, uncomplicated directness only a child could manage.
"Why did it stop?"
The Answer, standing quietly nearby, answered her.
