The air in the council chamber was thick with tension. Lucian sat at the head of the long table, his fingers drumming lightly against the wooden surface. Around him were his trusted advisors, Isolde seated at his right. Her piercing eyes were focused on the parchment in front of her, her expression unreadable as she absorbed the news they had just received.
"The remnants of the Church and Isolde's enemies have united," said Mara, one of Lucian's closest confidantes. She stood at the far end of the room, her voice steady but with an unmistakable undercurrent of concern. "They've rallied their most fanatical followers, and from what our spies tell us, they're planning something… dark. We believe they're preparing to use forbidden magic."
The room was silent for a moment, the weight of her words sinking in.