Kael, Morgana, and Elarion returned to Valtoria at dawn, worn but resolute. News of their journey to the Hallowed Glade had spread, and a quiet but tangible excitement hummed through the city. The people sensed that their leaders were preparing for a decisive battle, one that could finally rid their land of the void's corruption.
In the citadel's grand hall, Kael and his companions convened with the council. Leaders from neighboring regions had also been summoned, each bringing tales of encroaching darkness that seemed to confirm what they all feared: the void was rallying its forces, preparing for something cataclysmic.
