Morning crept slowly over Valkoron, but the castle still slumbered beneath a blanket of quiet. The sun had yet to fully rise, and the faint gray of dawn clung stubbornly to the sky, as though reluctant to yield to the day.
The towering walls stood unmoving, solemn as ever, their silence broken only by the distant cry of waking birds and the whisper of the wind blowing .
Then, from the distance, came the uneven rhythm of hooves striking the earth.
A lone rider emerged from the thinning mist, swaying atop his horse as though every movement required effort. The animal itself looked exhausted, foam gathering at its mouth, its pace sluggish but determined as it carried its master toward the castle gates.
