As flames engulfed various sectors of the capital city, the agonized cries of thousands of injured inhabitants mingled with the groans of wounded guards. Amidst this chaos, a flotilla of 16 ships made their way down the river connecting the kingdom's capital to the open sea.
The majority of these vessels had already left the urban sprawl behind, now gliding past verdant fields that stretched as far as the eye could see. More boats continued to pour out of the city, but those nearing the sea paid little heed to the exodus behind them. Their focus remained fixed on the journey ahead, with safety tantalizingly close, just minutes away.
