The gray morning in Nocture was no different than the days before except for those gathered in the central office atop the main tower of the castle. Inside, an unusual silence and tension filled the room shared by four people: Sylvia, Sofia, Zark, and Celes.
On the large black stone table, stacks of documents and maps lay sprawled. Some showed Nocture's territorial growth, others listed logistics and assignments for the next one to two months. But all of that was just background. Today's focus was… a farewell.
Sylvia stood tall before her three most trusted people, clad in a black gown. Beside her, Celes wore a modified version of her old uniform lighter, more streamlined. Her expression was calm, but her eyes brimmed with calculation.
"Starting today," Sylvia said softly but firmly, "I will be leaving for a while. Another world is calling... and I need to make sure that call doesn't bring disaster to this one."
