Extra chapter : A Bloom Amidst Ashes

The soft glow of dawn kissed the edges of Shadowspire Keep, its fragile light filtering through the cracks in the stone walls, brushing against battle-worn banners that hung in tatters. The silence was heavy—not the eerie quiet of defeat, but the fragile stillness that comes after the storm, when every breath feels borrowed and every heartbeat is a silent vow to keep moving forward.

Verida Valthorne stood alone in her quarters, the faint scent of smoke and steel still clinging to her crimson skin. She leaned against the edge of a narrow window, golden eyes tracing the distant horizon where the Abyssal Rift shimmered like a wound in the fabric of reality.

Her fingers toyed absently with the edges of the letter lying on the table beside her. The words were burned into her memory, each line carrying the weight of Nyssara Starwind's audacity and charm.

Try not to bring your swords.