The Seventh Realm had never seen days like these. For the past forty-eight hours, every inch of its vast territories lay under an unprecedented lockdown.
From the busiest cities at the heart of the realm to the furthest village on the mountainous outskirts, life had ground to a halt. Shops that once bustled with life were shuttered, marketplaces lay eerily quiet, and street vendors who usually chat as they transported their goods could only watch their goods wither.
Even the mightiest clans, who wielded their influence like a blade, were feeling the sting of the stoppage as revenues plummeted, and fear spread among many families who helped the royal family to annihilate powerful old clans of realm.
The economy itself had faltered, teetering under the pressure of this enforced silence. For a kingdom as vast and vibrant as the Seventh Realm, the lockdown's financial blow was staggering.
