Who are we?

The council chamber had long since emptied, yet a heavy tension still lingered in the air. The defenders had scattered to prepare for what lay ahead, but the weight of the conversation from earlier remained, pressing against their chests like a phantom grip.

War was coming, and the battle ahead would determine not just their survival, but the fate of the entire realm.

Phoenix stood near one of the grand windows overlooking the kingdom, her crimson eyes tracing the distant mountains, where dark storm clouds churned ominously. There was something unnatural about them, a whisper of corruption tainting the air.

She exhaled softly, her breath fogging up the glass for a brief moment before it faded.

Behind her, Cyrus watched, his arms crossed over his chest. "You sense it too, don't you?"

She nodded, fingers twitching against the window frame. "It's like the world itself is warning us."