Night's remnants gave way to a twilight steeped in portent as the city stirred with uneasy anticipation. In the days after the founders' triumphant return from the Veil, the crystalline shard lay enshrined within the newly erected hall of remembrance—a beacon of hope amid a sea of uncertainty. Yet, beneath the calm veneer of civic renewal, an undercurrent of disquiet pulsed through the streets and alleys, as if the very soul of the city trembled in the shadow of an imminent storm.
Liam, whose eyes now harbored both the weight of sorrow and the fierce spark of determination, paced along the ancient battlements overlooking the restless horizon. He recalled Mira's parting words as she had wandered through the silent streets that previous night—a vow to shepherd their people through the encroaching darkness. Now, as a chill wind swept down from distant highlands, his mind replayed the cryptic warnings whispered by Arion and Sorin about a force beyond mortal ken.
