The gates of Ardent Hold groaned as they swung open, the thick iron creaking under its own weight. The defenders atop the walls watched with wary eyes, their gazes flickering between the approaching trio and the gathering shadows at the forest's edge. Morgana, Kirin, and Lyana moved quickly, crossing the threshold into the safety of the fortress as the heavy gates closed behind them, locking out the encroaching darkness.
Inside, the scene was tense but resolute. Soldiers bustled through the courtyard, carrying supplies and reinforcing the barricades. The air buzzed with the clamor of preparations, and the scent of smoldering torches mingled with the scent of anxiety. People—residents of the villages that had fled to the fortress for safety—huddled together, their faces pale but their eyes filled with a sense of stubborn hope.
