he sun hung low over the horizon as Kade stared out from the balcony of his war chamber. The golden rays barely reached beyond the castle walls, as though the light itself hesitated to pierce the encroaching darkness of the world beyond. Kade's hand rested on the cold stone railing, his eyes fixed on the distant mountains where trouble always seemed to brew. The faint call of a distant bird broke the silence, its mournful cry echoing across the horizon, adding to the somber atmosphere.
"What's next?" he muttered to himself, the weight of responsibility pressing heavily on his shoulders. "Another war? Another army? Can't they take a day off?"
Behind him, the doors creaked open, and the familiar sound of Vask's measured footsteps echoed in the chamber. Kade didn't turn, but the tension in his posture eased slightly at the presence of his trusted servant.
'My lord,'
Vask said, his voice smooth and steady.
