A moment passed.
Then—
"Right, boys!"
The manor shook with Gavric's return.
His voice didn't just carry—it filled space. Like it belonged in the walls. Like the beams themselves had been waiting to hear it again.
"Time to show you how it's done!"
He strode in, the doors swinging wide behind him. Twin axes slung high across his back caught the lamplight, steel edges catching gold where the spirit gems above flickered.
His leather armor was cracked, creaking with every step. Dried mud crusted the crest on his shoulder—the twin moons of House Kaelithar barely visible beneath the grit. A terrace defender's uniform. Practical. Heavy. Earned.
Torren whooped like a soldier spotting reinforcements. He dropped his wooden sword and dashed across the room without waiting for permission.
Eldrian didn't move as fast.
He was too busy trying to lift Jitter by the tail.
