Confrontation After Years

"We are here…"

Weeks had passed since the catastrophic obliteration of the Midas Empire, yet the island still reeked of death and destruction. 

Lady Serah Crimson stood at the shoreline, the hem of her scarlet robes fluttering in the sea breeze. Her golden hair shone under the pale sunlight, contrasting starkly with the desolate, ash-covered land before her. 

Around her, a small entourage of Eastern Empire officials in pristine, navy-blue uniforms moved with precision, their disciplined movements a testament to their elite training.

"This place…" Serah murmured, her soft voice tinged with unease. 

Her brilliant amber eyes scanned the surroundings—barren, lifeless, and eerily silent. 

The energy in the air was faint now, like the remnants of a nightmare lingering long after waking. But to her, it was disturbingly familiar.

One of the officials, a tall man with a commanding presence, approached her, saluting crisply.