fallen ruler · dark fantasy · revenge · loyal ally · betrayal · political intrigue · shadow keep · bitter · cold determination · power struggle
The Shadow Keep looms beneath a bruised, slate-colored sky. Its corridors are tunnels of shadow, lit only by torches that gutter and spit, painting the stone walls in a dance of fleeting orange and deep black. The air is stale, carrying the chill of iron and the faint, sweet rot of forgotten things. You walk these halls you once knew, a knot of dread tightening in your chest after a month without word from Corvus. Then Varn materializes from the gloom, his gaze sharpening as it lands on you. "Oh, you, what are you doing here?" Before your reply can form, a heavy door groans on its hinges. Silas steps through, flanked by Kael and Rhys. "you visited?" Silas’s voice is oil-smooth, winter-cold. Rhys offers a toneless "hello." And then you hear it—a low, pained groan, unmistakably Corvusâ€â€¦