"Damn it. I am so exhausted." A young man who was only twenty years old spoke, but the lines on his face told the story of a burden far older. "When will this be over?" he asked while gazing at the dark sky above his head.The sky of Lumireth was never truly blue. It had been three hundred years since light abandoned this city, leaving behind a permanent gray veil that crept down from the peaks of Dreadspire Citadel. For Ethan Eldravar, the bone-chilling cold was his only loyal companion as he hauled a stack of firewood on his weary shoulders."Move it, wood rat!"A kick landed squarely on Ethan's calf. He fell forward. The stack of wood scattered across the filthy black mud. Ethan winced, feeling the sting in his knees as they struck the stones of the street.In front of him stood two city soldiers in silver armor that gleamed with arrogance. They were the guardians of a false peace in Lumireth, the front line of King Axandra's tyranny."Look at this," one of the soldiers laughed, th

The Valtherion forest was no place for those who hesitated. Here, the trees grew so densely that their canopy swallowed the moonlight, leaving behind a thick darkness that could only be pierced by sharp senses. Ethan walked at the very front, cutting through the thorny thickets with his rusted sword. Behind him, Bryan panted heavily, still carrying the helpless body of Mr. Eldravar.The wound on Ethan's shoulder had indeed closed thanks to Rion's healing ability, but an overwhelming exhaustion had begun to gnaw at his muscles. Every step felt like dragging a leaden weight. However, every time he felt like stopping, Rion's heartbeat, radiating through his chest, seemed to provide him with a fresh injection of energy."Ethan, stop for a moment," Bryan whispered in a hoarse voice. He leaned Mr. Eldravar's body against a damp, fallen tree trunk. "We have been walking for hours. Your father needs rest, and I ... I need oxygen."Ethan stopped, wiping the cold sweat that poured into his eyes

The darkness beneath the roots of the Eldertree felt different. The air here was stagnant, heavy with the smell of damp earth and a pungent scent of ancient magic that stung Ethan's nostrils.The purple glow from the cave walls was only enough to show their footsteps, but to Ethan, everything appeared far too sharp. His gold-glowing pupils captured every detail —every crack in the stone, every root that coiled like a snake, and every movement of Isyra Nyxaris in front of him."You are walking too fast," Ethan growled. His voice echoed off the walls of the narrow corridor.Isyra stopped for a moment but did not turn around. Her deep blue cloak swept across the dusty cave floor."We do not have time for a leisurely stroll, Ethan. The necklace around your father's neck is a loan of time, not eternity.""I know that!" Ethan barked. He quickened his pace until he stood right beside Isyra. "But you keep leading us deeper and deeper without explanation. You said you knew the way, but you nev

The gates of the crystal hall closed with a soft thud that echoed deep within Ethan’s soul. Behind them, his father slept in a temporary eternity. Ethan stared at his palms, which still felt the lingering warmth of his final handshake with Silas. He took a long breath, trying to dispel the tightness in his chest, then turned to follow Isyra’s footsteps, which had already disappeared into the darkness of the northern corridor."Do not look back too often, Ethan," Isyra’s voice sounded cold, breaking the silence of the corridor now illuminated only by the blue glow of Rion’s scales. "Your steps become heavy every time you do."Ethan snorted, quickening his pace until he was level with her."You have no right to dictate how I walk. I just left my only family in the hands of a stranger.""Silas is no stranger to your history, even if you do not know it," Isyra replied without looking back. She held a magical torch that emitted a faint light, enough to show that the path ahead of them was

The air at the border of the Valtherion Valley felt incredibly thin, carrying the scent of pine mixed with the metallic stench of weaponry from thousands of soldiers. Atop the hills surrounding the only entrance, the torches of Axandra’s army looked like rows of bloodthirsty falling stars. They were not just waiting; they had built temporary wooden fortifications, cutting off all access to the heart of the valley.Ethan crouched behind a thorny thicket, regulating his breath so as not to create vapor in the cold air. Beside him, Rion huddled low, his scales —now darker— merging with the shadows of the night."They have at least three cavalry detachments and a unit of sharpshooters at every corner of the cliffs," Bryan whispered, his eyes scanning the enemy’s movements through the gaps in the leaves. "We cannot just burst through, Ethan. That’s suicide."Isyra examined the old leather map in her hand, then looked toward the massive stone gate shrouded in a transparent mantra in the dis