In Eunosia, inside the magnificent White House with its marble pillars and glittering crystal chandeliers, the President of Eunosia sat at his desk with a troubled expression.The dark circles beneath his eyes revealed countless sleepless nights. In front of him, stacks of economic reports and letters of protest from the people lay scattered like neglected trash.Since Thom Haye had been driven out of the state, Eunosia had not prospered. Investments had dried up. Public trust had collapsed. Crime had skyrocketed. The Golden Circle, which he had supported, was instead devouring his nation from within, taking over major businesses and making ordinary people suffer even more.The President stared blankly out the window.Below, the city of Eunosia, once dazzling and vibrant, now appeared dim. Many of the streetlights were out. The towering buildings stood like concrete corpses devoid of life."Any news from Thom?" he asked quietly to the aide standing beside him.The aide shook his head

The morning sun bathed Valemoor in its warm golden light.On top of a small hill overlooking the village, Thom stood with his hands on his hips. Behind him, Eclad, Divo, and the remaining soldiers of the Nameless Army waited solemnly.Below them, Valemoor still looked like an open wound. Burned houses. Ground stained with dried blood.But today, something felt different in the air.There was hope."Bring everyone to the central square," Thom ordered Eclad. "I want all the villagers gathered."Eclad nodded and ran down the hill.A few minutes later, all the surviving residents of Valemoor—around one hundred and fifty people from two hundred households—gathered in the same square where they had celebrated good news just a few days earlier.Now the square was empty, nothing but barren ground and the lingering footprints of mercenaries. But at the center of the square, Thom stood on a makeshift stage built from old wooden planks.Thom looked at the faces before him. Tired faces. Grieving