Night fell over the Heartlands in a quiet, majestic stillness.
Rising above the central valley, the Spire of Unity glowed like a beacon under the pale light of the crescent moon. Its soaring white stone arches and ancient obsidian towers seemed to absorb the twilight, standing as a silent reminder of the centuries of peace brokered within its walls.
Inside the Nightshade delegation's private estate, the atmosphere was one of disciplined, quiet preparation. Armed guards in silver-trimmed leather posted at every entrance, their hands resting near their sword hilts. Every corridor hummed with an unspoken tension; everyone knew that tomorrow morning, the High Council of Elders would convene the Royal Alpha Summit.
I stood by the tall, arched window of my private chambers, looking out over t
