Petals whispered, petals warned,
roots went cold where trust was torn.
A garden grew a thorny tongue,
and sang the song the shadows sung.
◆◆◆◆
On the freezing northern continent of Glaciem, far beyond the grand spires of the capital, lay the nation of Tegard. Within its rugged territories, the Merith Domain was known for little more than its bitter winds, jagged pine forests, and hard, stubborn soil. Tucked away on the eastern fringe of this domain sat the unassuming village of Ael, a humble settlement of stone cottages, woodcutters, and sheep herders who spent their lives braced against the brutal northern winters.
For generations, the outskirts of Ael were dominated by a wide, empty plain. It was a barren expanse of gray moss, frozen mud, and granite outcroppings where little grew and fewer lingered. To the locals, it was simply known as "The Quiet," a lonely expanse that signaled the end of town and the start of the untamed wilderness.
