Lord Aesl, stood in his court, a hushed silence fell over the assembly. Every eye was fixed on him, their unease palpable.

"We must evacuate the castle," Elder Sirll whispered urgently, his words hanging in the air like a dire prophecy.

Lord Aesl's expression turned from disbelief to shock, his mind reeling from the consequences of his own mistakes. The war he had sparked had ravaged the city, leaving half of it in ashes and the other half in enemy hands. Fealatin, once a beacon of learning and culture, now lay in ruins.

The Lord's thoughts raced back to the city's heyday, when scholars and seekers of knowledge flocked to its gates. How had it come to this? His failure was a bitter pill to swallow, and the weight of his responsibility threatened to crush him.

"My Lord, Fealatin has fallen," Elder Birhe ventured, his voice trembling.

Lord Aesl's glare silenced him, but the words hung in the air, a harsh reminder of his failure. The sound of crashing stones and trembling foundations shook the castle, and the Lord's resolve crumbled. He rose from his throne, his steps heavy with the weight of defeat, he reached the balcony, he gazed out upon the devastation.

"One of the Feral courts has fallen," he declared, his voice steady despite the turmoil within.

"Fealatin, the second bridge, and the eleventh court have fallen under my rule, Lord Aesl of Kia, great-grandson of Lord Deanio Catalan." The castle shuddered again, and the Lord's command echoed through the halls.

"Evacuate the castle!" Panic erupted, and the once-grand halls emptied as his subjects scrambled to flee.

In the midst of the chaos, Lady Ahri approached him, her face etched with worry and fatigue.

"How fares my lad?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. Her gaze fell upon him, and she wrapped her arms around him, seeking solace in him warm embrace.

"Better than you" she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. They both knew it, this was the last time each of them will see each other. Lady Ahri knew her duty, she carries the last of the drakarian blood in her stomach and the lord won't flee, he would fight till the end.

The court ladies and servants departed, followed by the elders and attendants, the Lord and his commandant remained, the last defense. The fate of Fealatin was sealed.