[Music recommendation: The Beginning of the End - Sad & Emotional (By Koji)]
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That night, rest was the last thing on anyone's mind. Each of them kept themselves occupied in planning, preparing, and sharpening their resolve for the storm that would strike with the coming dawn. And when the stars finally began to fade into the pale glow of morning, the wheels of destiny continued their relentless march forward.
For today was the day everything would change.
Across the city, anticipation stirred like a rising tide. The buzz surrounding Crown Prince Valen Kaine's grand birthday ball echoed through every street, every corridor, and even more intensely within the palace walls. As the first rays of dawn touched the kingdom, guests from neighbouring kingdoms began to arrive, greeted by palace officials and escorted to their designated suites, where they would stay for the duration of the celebrations.
