The wind howled, relentless and biting, as we moved through the storm-swept pass. The mountain range loomed above us like a fortress, its peaks piercing the sky in jagged shards of ice. The air was thin and cold, each breath coming in sharp, frigid gasps. Yet, beneath the chill, a fire burned within me—driven by the Flame, and by the knowledge that if we didn’t reach the capital soon, there would be nothing left to save.
The once serene snowfields had turned into a maelstrom. The storm was no natural occurrence—it was as if the elements themselves had been torn asunder by the Hollow Court’s magic, a reflection of the chaos and destruction they had set in motion.
"Keep moving," I urged, my voice barely audible over the roar of the storm. "We need to reach the city before this gets any wor
