The throne room of the Aurion castle blazed with light.
Seryth stood before her assembled people, her wings spread to their full impressive span, her luminescent form radiating authority and power.
But those who knew her well, those who had served under her for decades, could see the tension in her shoulders, the tightness around her eyes.
Nearly three hundred Aurion demons packed the throne room and spilled out into the corridors beyond. Warriors in gleaming armor, scholars in elegant robes, craftsmen still bearing the marks of their trades, all of them summoned by their High Commander for an emergency assembly.
The murmuring crowd fell silent as Seryth raised one hand.
"My people," she began, her voice carrying clearly through the vast space. It was strong, commanding, everything a leader's voice should be. "I have gathered you here to share news that will change everything we have known for the past four years."
She paused, letting the weight of those words sink in.
