Chapter 18: The Reckoning

The skies over Eldoria darkened as if reflecting the turmoil below. A relentless storm raged, lashing the castle with torrents of rain and thunderous roars. The grandeur of the Heart of Eldoria seemed dimmed by the chaos that was brewing both outside and within the castle walls.

Lord James, his face etched with determination and fatigue, stood before his war council. His presence commanded silence, his dark eyes burning with an intensity that matched the storm. The flickering torchlight cast eerie shadows across the walls, where ancient tapestries told stories of victories long past.