The sun broke through the morning mist, casting long shadows across the rebuilt capital, now stirring with the first signs of renewal. The remains of the ancient palace stood like a wounded giant, its skeletal spires reaching toward the sky, a testament to both the war it had endured and the strength it had gained. Leon Seres, now king, stood on the edge of the palace's outer walls, gazing at the horizon where the last of the mercenary forces withdrew. His eyes were weary, but there was something else there—a quiet, resolute calm.
Beside him, Nora stood, her fingers gently tracing the ruins of the column they had just consecrated, where the sacred bond was now etched into stone. She breathed deeply, feeling the pulse of the land beneath her feet, the weight of the vow they had both made t
