The night fell cold and heavy over the fortress of Eberdeen, the stars hidden behind thick clouds as the wind howled through the icy battlements. The air was sharp with the promise of snow, and the flickering torches lining the walls cast long, eerie shadows across the courtyard. Despite the dark and bitter cold, the fortress was alive with activity as soldiers prepared for the coming battle.
James stood at the edge of the northern wall, staring out into the vast expanse of the frozen wilderness that lay beyond the fortress. His breath misted in the cold air, his mind racing with thoughts of the mission ahead. The strike team would be leaving at dawn, but before that, there was another task at hand, investigating the mysterious outpost near the Bloodridge Mountains. If Valek was truly staging his forces there, it could give them the critical edge they needed to disrupt his plans.
