LOVETH'S POV
The forest had been merciless, tearing at my clothes, scratching my skin, and leaving me caked in mud. Each step toward the kingdom was filled with determination, but exhaustion gnawed at my bones. When the massive gates of Astral finally came into view, relief flooded me. I was home.
But something was wrong.
The courtyard beyond the gates was eerily silent, save for the distant sounds of servants scurrying about. Decorations hung loosely from poles, as if hastily abandoned, and remnants of what seemed like a grand event lay scattered on the ground.
An uneasy feeling crept into my chest as I approached the gates. Two guards stood at their post, their faces hard and unyielding.
“Halt! State your business,” one barked, blocking my path with his spear.
I blinked in disbelie
