A few hours earlier, panic and despair had gripped the Bloodburn camp like a relentless storm, tearing through every tent and hut, shattering the brief peace they had so desperately held onto.
"Princess Ravina is missing!"
"The little princess has been kidnapped!"
Terrified murmurs spread from mouth to mouth, sparking fear in the hearts of even the bravest warriors. Every Bloodburn survivor was on their feet, eyes wide and voices trembling. It was as if the sky itself had fallen.
They knew that Consort Isola had been the first to find Merina—Ravina's closest caretaker—collapsed deep within the sinister woods nearby. The gentle maid had been knocked unconscious by an unknown assailant.
Whoever had done this had managed to bypass their defenses without alerting even their sharpest senses. This realization alone was enough to strike cold dread into their hearts.
