Echoes of Heartache

Emily woke up in the pale light of dawn, the echoes of restless dreams still lingering in her mind. Images of past battles and the faces of fallen comrades haunted her, each one a reminder of the heavy toll leadership exacted. She lay still for a moment, allowing the quiet of the early morning to seep into her bones, but the weight of her responsibilities pressed down on her chest, making it difficult to breathe. She knew she had to get up, to face another day filled with decisions and challenges, but the emotional burden was becoming harder to bear.

As she dressed, a knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. Seraphina entered, her expression unusually serious. "Emily, there's a messenger from a distant village. He brings news of an old friend... someone you knew well."

Emily's heart skipped a beat. "Who?" she asked, already fearing the worst.

"It's Thomas," Seraphina said gently. "He's gravely ill."