Chapter 234: The Rival

The air was thick with anticipation as the murmurs of the crowd grew into a cacophony of excitement and speculation. In the grand hall of the Silver Keep, where the banners of the great houses fluttered like the beating wings of a thousand birds, a new figure emerged from the shadowed archway.

Clad in a cloak of midnight blue, the stranger's presence commanded the room, their steps measured and deliberate. Whispers followed their path, a trail of words spun from curiosity and awe. They stopped at the center, beneath the crystal chandelier that cast a constellation of light upon the marble floor, and slowly, the hood was drawn back to reveal a face not seen but often spoken of in hushed tones.

Eyes of piercing green, sharp as emerald daggers, surveyed the assembly before settling on the dais where James stood. James, a title held with pride and honor, now faced the very challenge that had been foretold in the ancient scrolls, a rival whose prowess was said to rival the stars themselves