The Gods and The Greed (1).

After a week of good preparation, the defenders had already gathered the required ingredients and courage to perform the ritual.

The night was heavy with an eerie stillness, the kind that settled before a storm.

The defenders stood in a wide, circular chamber deep beneath the Sacred Roots council, a place where magic was raw and undisturbed, where ancient spirits still pulsed faintly in the stone walls.

Astrid stood at the centre of a ritual circle, her white robes moving slightly as an unseen energy rippled through the air. Magical patterns, carved into the floor, pulsed with a dim glow, waiting for her to activate them.

Avon stood just a few feet away, arms folded, his brows furrowed with concern. The others formed a loose circle around them, watching with wary anticipation.

Sienna, Astrid's mother. The ruler of the land of Mare Fortis had also joined them. Once again her stubborn daughter was doing something reckless.