The moon was shining brightly despite the long day of agony, stars hung like scattered shards of light in the deep indigo sky as our ragged group trudged into Silverfall. The town's name belied the harsh reality of what we saw. The famed silver waterfalls cascading over the cliffs behind the town sparkled faintly, but the town itself carried a quiet unease. It was eerily still for a settlement of its size, with only a few lanterns glowing in the windows and the occasional flicker of movement behind the curtains.
The gates, made of sturdy timber, creaked open slowly as we approached. Two guards stood on either side, their silver-plated armor catching the faint light of the moon. They looked wary, their eyes darting over our group, lingering on our torn clothes, bloodied faces, and exhausted expressions.
"Who goes there?" one of them called his hand gripping the hilt of his sword.
