As a lavish carriage rolled to a stop, the rhythmic clatter of hooves faded into a tense hush.
The bustling city gate, once alive with the sounds of merchants and travelers, was now gripped by silence.
Fifty silver-armored soldiers, gleaming under the midday sun, stood as silent sentinels, their disciplined gazes unwavering. Flanking them were fifteen black-armored death soldiers, their presence alone enough to send a chill through the crowd.
Behind their shadowed helms, they seemed less human and more like harbingers of doom.
The carriage at the heart of this fearsome procession was nothing short of a masterpiece of opulence. Deep crimson velvet curtains embroidered with intricate golden threads swayed lightly, while the powerful black steeds that pulled it pawed at the ground impatiently.