The night was cool and still as the city of Aetheris lay beneath a blanket of darkness. The faint glow of the moonlight cast long shadows over the streets, adding an eerie calm to the aftermath of the recent battles. The city was recovering, but a sense of unease lingered in the air, as though the calm was only a prelude to something more ominous.
Alaric stood on the balcony of the palace, gazing out at the city below. The gentle breeze ruffled his hair as he contemplated the recent events. Despite the victory over Valerian, the shadow of Adrian's mysterious letter and the unknown threat it implied cast a dark cloud over his thoughts.
Adrian had been unusually distant since their conversation in the garden, retreating to his quarters to ponder the letter's cryptic message. Alaric understood the weight of the situation and respected Adrian's need for solitude, but it left him to wrestle with his own uncertainties.
