Back to the present.
Edward's Shadow Knight barely had time to fully materialise before steel met shadow. The dark construct stepped between him and the charging elven soldier, its blade catching the strike at the last possible moment.
The clash echoed sharply across the palace steps.
"Borr! What are you—" Elarien began to shout, but the elven soldier cut her off before she could finish.
"It's their fault!" he screamed, his voice cracking with rage. "These damn humans! We let them into our city—and for what? So they could slaughter us? So they could stab us in the back?!"
Tears streamed down his face as his voice broke completely. His knees buckled beneath him, and he collapsed onto the stone steps, his sword slipping from his loosened grip and clattering uselessly to the ground.
Elarien froze, stunned by the sight.
"What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice trembling as she stepped closer.
