The Gathering Storm

The fortress was abuzz with activity. The atmosphere, once calm despite external tensions, had drastically changed. Even the children, usually carefree, felt the weight of the moment. Every street corner, every whisper seemed to carry the burden of the impending war. Preparations had intensified, and the once curious gazes of the youngest were now marked by a newfound gravity.

Cliff walked through the city streets, paying close attention to every detail. It wasn't out of boredom that he strolled, but rather to escape his troubled thoughts. The war, inevitable and feared, was knocking at their door. The past weeks had been a whirlwind of activity: meticulously organized hunting sessions, carefully negotiated exchanges with the mountain peoples—everything had been meticulously prepared for this fateful day.