"The mightiest shield is not steel or stone, but the hearts that stand unwavering beside you."
TAEMIN'S POV
The Elder Mages' Quarters in the North Tower had always been a sanctuary of calm, a place where magic hummed in perfect balance, and time seemed to slow. Today, that illusion was fragile. Even high above the battlefield, I could feel the storm of the Double Flank Breakthrough pressing against the Castle like a living beast. Every ward, every enchantment, vibrated under strain, stretching to its limits. My hands hovered over the scrying table, trembling not with exhaustion, but with the raw, biting weight of responsibility.
