= Mikael =
The night air pressed against my skin, thick with the scent of pine, smoke from the torches, and something I couldn’t quite name—something electric, buzzing, almost alive. Anticipation wound itself tight around my chest, so taut I could almost see it in the air, stretching between the trees and the torches, flickering in the shadows.
I stood at the edge of the ceremonial grounds, hands clasped behind my back, posture rigid, like a sentinel who had been standing guard for centuries. My gaze didn’t waver, fixed on the clearing below, where everything—every detail, every movement—was already in place. The torches burned in a perfect circle, their flames spiraling upward, throwing gold light across the forest floor, casting long, dancing shadows. The sight should have been beautif
