The sky was dark and still. A faint breeze swept across the land, cooling the warmth left behind by the morning sun.
Above, the monochrome sun hovered silently in the heavens, casting its pale, colorless light over a small village tucked away from the kingdom's heart. Its beams washed the quiet settlement in a peaceful, black-and-white glow.
The streets were silent. Aside from a few villagers doing night watch, holding torches, and walking their quiet patrols, the rest of the village lay asleep. Doors shut. Curtains drawn. People were dreaming, unaware that tonight would not pass like the others.
A sudden, ear-splitting boom tore through the night, cracking open the sky like divine judgment. The sound rippled downward, shaking the earth and rattling the wooden walls of every home. Peaceful sleep was shattered in an instant—replaced by startled screams and panicked movement.
Above them, wings of pure white cut through the sky.
