Lord Fairfax led Adeline to a small, secluded courtyard within the palace grounds. The air was heavy with the scent of night-blooming flowers, and the soft glow of bioluminescent plants cast an ethereal light over the scene.

Bryce nodded, then stretched and motioned to the guard with his manacled hands. The man seemed annoyed but didn’t object when Bryce stood and started walking into the forest. They disappeared into the foliage, and Gregory thought again of how arrogant these men were.

As the shuttle descended through the planet's atmosphere, the team huddled around the viewscreen, their expressions a mix of anticipation and dread. The swirling clouds parted, revealing a landscape that sent a collective shudder through the crew.

The following morning dawned bright and clear, the air filled with a sweet, unfamiliar fragrance that seemed to be unique to Elendale. Adeline woke early, her excitement overriding any lingering fatigue from their journey. She found Cordelia already awake, sitting by the window a...

When he finally fell into step beside Bryce, he stared at the forest in front of him and tried to keep his voice low.

The blast door hissed open, revealing the dimly lit corridor beyond. The team moved out in tight formation, every sense on high alert as they made their way towards the maintenance tunnels.

As the sun began to set on the seventh day of their journey, the caravan crested a final hill, and the elven city of Elendale came into view. Adeline and Cordelia gasped in unison, their recent ordeal momentarily forgotten in the face of such breathtaking beauty.

Gregory was modestly relieved the next morning when it became clear that his new captors were actually intending for him to be treated as a guest, though one lacking total freedom. They didn’t force him to travel with them, but they also didn’t offer him a chance to leave.

The days following Aria's triumph in the Trials of the Ancients were a whirlwind of activity. Skyhaven buzzed with preparations for war, the clang of hammers on anvils and the shouts of warriors training filling the air from dawn to dusk.