Crushed stone fragments grind underfoot, jagged edges sharp as broken teeth, their gray dust clinging to skin like forgotten ash. A dense lead pellet nestles among them, cool and unyielding, its metallic sheen dulled by grime, weighing heavy in the palm. Barely larger than a thumbnail, it pulses with latent malice, a tiny harbinger etched in miniature runes that whisper of sealed curses.