The ship slowed as the docks came into view, the steady creak of wood and snap of sails filling the air. After days trapped underground and a brief taste of sunlight, the sight of an open harbor was enough to stir excitement through the deck.
Ahead stretched the main port outside Valon—stone piers jutting into the water, warehouses stacked high with goods, and cranes creaking as workers unloaded cargo. The city walls rose beyond, and further still, the faint silhouette of Valon's inner spires shimmered under the midday light. The capital was only an hour's ride away.
Students crowded the railing, pointing and murmuring as dockhands shouted orders below. For some, the sight meant home. For others, it was simply the next step.
Noel stood among them, coat tugged by the wind, his gaze fixed on the skyline. 'Back again. Not quite the capital yet… but close enough to smell it.'
Daemar stepped forward, his voice carrying easily over the noise. "Students of Valor, gather!"
