The intricate game of shadows and whispers in Jorailia was reaching its brutal, inevitable climax. Ondine Bellerose, her every move a masterpiece of political maneuvering, had systematically eroded the foundations of King Rouben Yachvili's power, her silken web of influence ensnaring disgruntled generals and ambitious nobles alike.
Noah, the cornered viper, fought with the ferocious desperation of a trapped animal. His alchemical fortress in the heart of Lysandra was a testament to his genius, a death trap of corrosive mists, explosive glyphs, and hallucinogenic pollens. His forces, bolstered by the disciplined martial cultivators of the Celestial Dragon Empire, repelled every assault launched by the increasingly demoralized Royal Guard.
