Twenty years after Kael's death, young Shan was no longer young.
He was a man in his sixties now, with gray in his beard and lines on his face that came from decades of difficult decisions. He had served on the Council for over thirty years. He had guided the kingdom through multiple crises. He had watched the next generation rise to power.
On a quiet evening, in the very forge where Kael had once worked, young Shan sat with the newest generation of Council leaders. These were people he had trained. People he had taught. People who would lead the kingdom after him.
"I want to tell you what I have learned," Shan said. "I want to tell you what the last twenty years have taught me about the system we inherited."
The younger leaders listened carefully. Shan was respected. His wisdom came f
