The morning sun did not bring any light to the valley of Oakhaven. The dark storm clouds summoned by the Herald of Judgment completely blotted out the dawn. The sky outside the golden dome was a churning sea of black and bruised purple. The air was thick with the scent of ozone and the promise of absolute destruction.
Inside the manor the atmosphere was quiet and tense. Kael stood in the center of Valeria's bedroom. He was arming himself for a war he could not possibly win on paper.
Valeria fastened the heavy iron buckles of his black steel breastplate. Her fingers moved with practiced efficiency. She did not tremble. She smoothed the dark metal over his broad chest and secured the leather straps tightly over his shoulders.
"The armor will not stop a divine spear," Valeria noted softly.
