That afternoon, downtown Port Valen was thrown into chaos. Thick black smoke billowed high from the twelfth floor of an office building. Flames leaped from glass windows, shattering panes and sending debris showering onto the streets below. Fire engines arrived from all directions—five units, then six, then seven. Sirens wailed in unison, tearing through the usually bustling city air.People scattered along the sidewalks. Police set up boundary lines. Firefighters unreeled hoses and scaled hydraulic ladders, straining to reach the flames on the upper floors. Yet the inferno was too vast. Strong gusts blowing in from the harbor drove the blaze rapidly to the eleventh floor, then the tenth.Inside the building, employees remained trapped. A few waved frantically from behind windows. Others screamed for help. Smoke began creeping into the hallways, choking anyone caught inside.Amidst the commotion, someone stood atop the roof of an adjacent building. A young man with a school bag slung

The mist from the Forbidden Forest had reached the northernmost village in the Shadow Realm.The village was called Duskhollow—a small settlement nestled at the foot of the mountains, home to stonemasons and mist hunters. That night, the villagers of Duskhollow heard an eerie sound echoing from the direction of the forest. It was not the call of a beast. Nor was it the howling of the wind. It sounded like a prolonged, layered whisper, as if thousands of souls were speaking in a single breath.Then came the mist.It did not sweep over the village like a sudden storm. It crept. Slowly. Touching every house, every tree, every well. Whatever it touched was transformed. Timber turned brittle. Water grew murky. Vegetation withered in a matter of seconds. The villagers who inhaled it collapsed immediately, their bodies shivering violently, their skin turning pale as ash.In less than an hour, Duskhollow became a dead village.The first report reached the palace via scout birds released from

Kaelen shifted slightly on his ornate stone throne. His voice echoed with a low, measured resonance, bearing the weight of a ruler."Aldric," Kaelen began slowly, choosing every word with utmost care. "Your devotion to Ellara has never been in question, nor has your courage. You have stood by her side as a guardian and a friend, and for that, you have my deepest gratitude."Kaelen paused for a moment. Ellara and Aldric exchanged a brief, gentle smile."Yet Aldric, marriage is a bond that ties two souls together, and right now, the threads of our realm's destiny are frayed. With the mist advancing relentlessly and shadows gathering at our gates, my primary duty is the survival of our people. I cannot entrust Ellara to you today, yet neither do I reject the honor of your request. I ask only for your patience. Continue to stand beside her, protect Ellara as you always have, and let time unveil what lies ahead."Aldric’s sharp mind instantly caught the subtle hesitation veiled beneath Kae