Chapter 66: Calm before the Storm
The night before the end was quieter than it should have been.
No drums of war echoed through the camp. No horns signaled final preparations. The soldiers of the Magus Mundo Alliance — the last remnant of every kingdom, tribe, and realm — moved like ghosts among the ruins of Astaris.
Fires burned low in scattered braziers, their light barely pushing back the darkness that clung to the broken walls. And above us, the heavens hung still and silent — no stars, no moon, only a shroud of violet clouds that refused to part.
I walked through the camp alone, cloak drawn tight against the cold. Around me, the army slept restlessly, each warrior chasing dreams that might be their last. Some polished their weapons beneath the dim glow of lanterns. Others prayed
