The castle buzzed with an air of urgency. Couriers dashed through hallways, delivering messages to commanders and allies. The tension was thick, but so was the resolve. Juliana stood in the war council chamber, surrounded by Hak, Jaxon, Alisa, and other key leaders.
"This is no longer just a war for territory," Juliana said, her voice steady but sharp. "This is a fight for survival—for our kingdom's future."
Maps of the kingdom and enemy territories were spread out on the table, marked with colored tokens representing troops and resources. Hak traced his fingers over the routes, his brow furrowed in concentration.
"Tiberius's forces have been emboldened," Hak said, tapping the northern border. "They've moved faster than anticipated, likely hoping to catch us unprepared. We need to cut t
