A chill wind swept across the outer ramparts of the city, carrying with it the scents of distant forests and the bitter tang of impending change. Under a vast sky streaked with early winter hues, the heirs of the covenant gathered one last time before setting out on the next leg of their arduous journey—a journey that would determine not only the fate of their people but also the balance of the realm itself.
Inside the refurbished council hall, the relics still pulsed in a measured, comforting cadence. The Dawnstone, Celestial Sigil, Twilight Keystone, Nightshard, Heart of the Veil, Anchor of Light, Mirror of Truth, Eclipsed Crown, and Shard of Remembrance now formed an unyielding circle of power. Yet, as the morning light filtered in through ancient stained glass, an air of somber determination had replaced the jubilation of past victories. Each heir's face told a story of both triumph and loss, of battles fought with both steel and sacrifice.
