The fortress had begun to recover from the recent onslaught. With the Shadow Shard's forces repelled and their ritual thwarted, the defenders took a much-needed respite. The courtyard, once a chaotic battleground, was now a place of careful rebuilding and solemn reflection. Yet beneath the surface of this fragile calm, tensions and uncertainties simmered.
Elara moved through the bustling fortress, her gaze scanning the repairs and the weary faces of her people. She had barely slept since the battle, her mind constantly racing with thoughts of their next move. The Shadow Shard's retreat was only a temporary reprieve; the threat was far from over.
In her chambers, Elara gathered with Morgana and Cedric, their faces etched with exhaustion and determination. Morgana had been studying the fragments of the central artifact they had destroyed, hoping to glean more information about its purpose and the nature of the ritual.
