The betrayal

As the golden rays of dawn filtered through the silk curtains, a treacherous shadow fell upon the throne room. His Excellency Timbo, personal counselor to Emperor Batang V and confidant of two decades, stood with a benign smile that scarcely masked the venom in his heart. The emperor, clad in his regal attire, turned towards Timbo, trust evident in his aged eyes.

The sun sank low in the sky, casting long shadows across the worn cobblestones of the village square. Brida stood with his allies and a mix of seasoned warriors and young soldiers eager to prove themselves, as a messenger raced toward them on a foam-flecked horse. The urgency in the rider's eyes sent a shiver down his spine. He tightened his grip on the leather hilt of his sword, sensing trouble.

"Okunde village is under attack!" the messenger shouted, breathless and dismounting hastily. "Edimo and the Three-Headed Wolf have laid waste to the northern parts of the Batang Empire!"