In a sudden, unexpected shift in the atmosphere, the soft whisper of a command came from Asher, his voice resonating through the Whisperstone, "Caelum, it's time."
A ripple of anticipation moved through the crowd, their gazes shifting to the elegant carriage parked discreetly near the edge of the square. There was a chilling silence, the collective breath of the crowd held in abeyance.
The carriage door swung open, and out stepped Caelum, his presence spreading an air of charm.
Behind him, two of his men emerged, dragging four figures from the darkness of the carriage.
Their clothes were ruffled but were unmistakably of high quality, the cloth of nobility.
They were trying to hide their faces in vain but their bearing was unmistakable. These were men of power, of lineage. They were the lords of their noble Houses.
