End of War

The war had dragged on for over a month.

What had begun as chaos, with battles stretching across the borders of six kingdoms, had now ground to a halt.

Thanks to Kael's decisive strategies, his brutal cavalry raids on enemy supply lines and relentless pressure on their logistics the tide had turned.

Their allies, who had once been on the verge of collapse, had regained their footing.

And with no decisive victories on any side, the war was no longer worth the cost.

The six kingdoms had finally called for peace.

Kael stood in his tent, the worn edges of his maps spread across the table before him.

His gaze was sharp, but his face betrayed exhaustion.

The victory was not the kind that filled a man with joy.

Too many lives had been lost, too much land scorched.

Yet the result was undeniable: they had survived, and their enemies had been forced to negotiate.

A knock at the tent's flap pulled him from his thoughts.