The cobbled streets of the kingdom’s capital gleamed under the relentless drizzle, each stone slick with rain and reflecting the golden glow of lanterns swaying in the breeze. The towering spires of the castle, shrouded in mist, loomed like silent sentinels over the city, their banners clinging to poles, drenched and heavy.

Merchants huddled beneath wide awnings, their voices subdued as they called half-heartedly to passersby who scurried beneath cloaks and hoods. The scent of damp earth and smoldering hearths mingled with the fragrance of fresh bread, as bakeries sent warm wisps of air curling into the chill.

Gutters ran with murky rivulets, splashing against the worn boots of knights patrolling the streets, their armor dulled by the rain. Children laughed as they darted through puddles, while horses flicked their ears, their breath rising in soft clouds.

Beyond the city walls, the distant hills blurred into the storm, the vast forests dark and whispering beneath the steady drumming of raindrops. The kingdom, veiled in water and mist, felt suspended between waking and dreaming, a place where secrets might be whispered between raindrops and fate rewritten beneath storm-lit skies.

Darius didn't seek shelter, why would he, he had his armor and helmet on, and a little bit of rain wouldn't scare him, he walked his normal path, his routine engraved into his mind like words on stone, he sighed heavily, this rain was a bit of a nuisance. Darius stopped when he heard the soft crying of someone nearby, he went to go see who was in such distress.