Chapter 40 - Preludes of War

In the opulent confines of the king's chamber, the royal mage stood with an air of confidence, an unyielding figure in the presence of the sovereign. This man, draped in an aura of authority, bore the visage of one in his mid-forties. His countenance, a testament to years of wisdom and experience, displayed a sculpted face with no hint of silver tarnishing the depths of his raven-black hair. Despite the slim contours of his body, there was a discernible strength in his posture. His eyes, pools of intense obsidian, held a sharpness that mirrored the keenness of his intellect.