⸻SCENE 1 – DELANI’S WATCHFUL EYESKarmora was alive with movement, as it always was at dusk. The air carried the rich scent of roasted meat and burning firewood. Merchants closed their stalls while the last buyers of the day haggled for lower prices. Children ran barefoot across the dusty streets, their laughter echoing against the mud-brick walls of the huts. The occasional clang of a blacksmith’s hammer rang from the distance, mixing with the distant howl of a restless dog.But Delani wasn’t paying attention to any of that.Seated at the far end of an open-air tavern, his hood drawn low, he watched the hut across the narrow street—Amara’s hut. The flickering torchlight outside cast shadows against its walls. Inside, he could see their figures moving.Zafar stood at the doorway, speaking with his mother. His posture was relaxed, but even in casual conversation, the way he moved told Delani everything he needed to know. The boy was no ordinary young man. He carried himself with power

⸻Scene 1 – Delani Returns to VhadirThe streets of Vhadir were still alive even as the sun began to set. Merchants packed up their goods, mothers called their children inside, and the distant sound of blacksmiths hammering iron filled the air. The scent of roasted meat and fresh bread lingered as people moved about, finishing their day.Through the bustling roads, Delani rode in, his horse covered in dust from the long journey back from Karmora. His face was hardened with exhaustion, but his mind was sharp. He had seen enough to be certain.He didn’t waste time. He made his way through the narrow alleys, past small homes and wooden huts, until he reached the familiar path leading to Elya’s home.Elya stood outside, her hands covered in flour from making dough. Her face, though aged, held a quiet strength. The years had worn her, but they had not broken her. Her once smooth skin now carried lines of grief, her eyes held the weight of a mother who had lost everything. She no longer bot

Scene 1 – Darius Tightens His Grip (The Hunt for Amara Grows Ruthless)The great hall of Otharion was colder than usual, despite the torches burning in the sconces. The air was thick, heavy with the scent of wax and burning wood, but even that did not mask the stench of blood that had been spilled just moments before.A noble’s lifeless body lay sprawled at the foot of the throne, his throat cut cleanly—a warning.Darius sat above it all, his expression carved from stone. He did not blink. He did not waver.Shakur stood at his side, as always, his face unreadable. The court was silent, nobles and commanders alike afraid to meet the king’s gaze.Finally, Darius spoke. His voice was calm, but laced with venom. “Double the spies again.”No one moved.Shakur cleared his throat. “They are already stretched across the lands, my king. Another expansion will leave us—”Darius turned his sharp eyes to him. “Are you questioning me, Shakur?”A beat of silence. Then Shakur bowed his head slightly

Scene 1 – Karmora Prepares for WarThe streets of Karmora carried a different kind of energy now. The usual buzz of merchants and craftsmen still filled the air, but beneath it, there was tension—an unspoken awareness that change was coming.Word had spread. Whispers in the taverns, quiet conversations in shadowed alleys—Jagaban was moving again.Inside his quarters, Jagaban sat at a wooden table, a dim lantern casting his silhouette against the walls. His hands, rough and scarred from years of war, traced an old map of Karmora and its surrounding lands. Small markings—some new, some from battles long past—covered its surface.He picked up a quill and began writing.Names. Locations. Call signs.Allies who had once stood beside him. Some had disappeared into the wind, some had sworn never to return to war. But war had returned to them.Crow entered without knocking, carrying a scroll under his arm. He tossed it onto the table. “Loans,” he muttered, as if the word alone left a bad tast