The heavy double doors of the Iron Bank crashed open. The sound echoed like cannon fire across the vaulted ceiling. Ten city watchmen marched into the grand lobby in strict formation. Their polished boots struck the marble floor in unison. Captain Rylen walked at the center of the squad. He wore a fresh set of silver armor but lacked his usual swagger. Thick linen bandages wrapped tightly around his neck and jaw. Purple bruises marked the exposed skin around his eyes. His recent defeat at the citadel remained visible for every merchant and noble in the room to witness.Despite his injuries Rylen carried his chin high. He possessed the desperate arrogance of a man trying to reclaim his shattered pride. He scanned the crowded room and locked his eyes on the spiral staircase. He spotted Jamie standing on the marble steps."Seal the exits," Rylen commanded. His voice rasped from the damage to his throat.The watchmen spread out across the lobby. They blocked the grand doors and stood in f

The morning sun illuminated the towering stone spires of the Bishop's Residence. The street of Silvercrest Avenue buzzed with aggressive curiosity. The central estate stood as the crown jewel of Bishop's Gate. The surrounding nobles expected a foreign royal or a senior Church official to have claimed the empty property. They sent their hired servants to spy on the wrought iron gates. They ordered their carriage drivers to slow down as they passed the grand courtyard.The aristocratic neighbors did not see royal guards or foreign dignitaries. They spotted Janie exploring the expansive gardens. She wore her simple threadbare dress. She knelt in the dirt to admire the blooming roses and laughed as she chased a butterfly across the pristine lawn. The sight of a commoner occupying the most sacred estate in the district sent shockwaves through the wealthy neighborhood. Gossip spread from parlor to parlor before the morning dew even dried. The local elite decided to take immediate action to

Jamie walked up the stone steps of the central cathedral on the morning of the third day. The air carried the scent of burning incense from the brass temple braziers. He wore his simple canvas trousers and a fresh linen tunic. He stood out among the sea of polished steel and velvet cloaks gathering in the grand plaza. He had come to present himself to the King and the High Priest. He had come to be officially recognized as a sworn Holy Knight of the Church.The massive wooden doors of the cathedral stood open. Jamie entered the nave and joined the rigid military formations on the polished marble floor. Hundreds of active Holy Knights stood shoulder to shoulder in the vast hall. They wore the gleaming silver breastplates of their order and carried heavy broadswords at their hips. They turned their heads to watch the newcomer walk down the central aisle. Their eyes held a mixture of deep resentment and cold fury. A commoner had infiltrated their sacred ranks.The King of the realm presi

Jamie walked out of the Bishop's Residence at dawn. The morning air carried a sharp chill through the streets of Silvercrest Avenue. Maerith Bellgrave waited for him near the wrought iron gates of the estate. She wore her standard issue armor and carried a heavy canvas duffel bag over her shoulder. They had formed an alliance the previous day. They needed to prepare for the brutal realities of the Array of Sitluh."The Array is not a standard battlefield," Maerith said as they walked toward the military district. "The demon settlement sits in a basin surrounded by dead earth. The air is thick with toxic ash. We need specialized armor to filter the corruption.""I only have the ceremonial plates they gave me at the citadel," Jamie replied. He matched her brisk pace. "The steel is too thin for a prolonged siege. We need to visit the quartermaster.""That is why we are going to the Valor Proving Grounds early," Maerith explained. "The main armory holds the reinforced siege plating. The q

The morning sun beat down on the packed dirt of the Valor Proving Grounds. Dust drifted through the air as hundreds of Holy Knights assembled for the mandatory combat readiness drill. Commander Vakar stood on a raised stone platform overlooking the sprawling arena. The looming deployment to the Array of Sitluh required finalized vanguard formations. The drill served as a brutal test to weed out the weak before the army marched into the Abyss.Jamie and Maerith wore their newly requisitioned siege armor. The thick steel plates offered substantial protection against the toxic ash and demonic claws they would face in the settlement. The extra weight slowed the average soldier down to a sluggish march. Jamie barely felt the burden. His intense physical conditioning allowed him to move the heavy metal with ease. Maerith adjusted the leather straps on her shoulders and stretched her legs to prepare for the grueling test ahead.Cassian Orvel stood across the yard with his noble peers. He sti