The morning that had begun with cautious optimism now felt like the prelude to a war. Word of Leoric's disappearance spread through the Drake estate like wildfire, carried by whispered conversations, urgent messages, and the unmistakable tension that radiated from every guard and servant.
Within hours, what should have been a day of preparation for a joint expedition had transformed into a crisis that threatened to tear apart centuries of continental balance.
In the great hall of House Drake, an emergency council convened with unprecedented urgency.
The massive oak table, carved from a single ancient tree and bearing the scars of countless family meetings, now groaned under the weight of maps, communication crystals, and weapons hastily retrieved from armories. The very air seemed to vibrate with barely contained fury and fear.
