You stand on the crest of a grassy ridge, the cool night air whispering through the trees surrounding you. Shadows stretch across the field below, where torches flicker among the ranks of the rebel forces—a group calling themselves the Sons of the Shadow, fierce and unyielding in their disdain for the crown. They stand, tense and watchful, their faces half-hidden under dark hoods, all awaiting the judgment of their king.

Beside you stands your father, King Thalion, his imposing figure clad in silver and steel. His gaze, sharp and commanding, fixes on the rebel captain standing before him, a man hardened by years of dissent and the burdens of his own convictions. Silence hangs in the air as the two leaders lock eyes, and then, your father takes a step forward, his voice resonating across the still night.

“Captain Eldric,” he begins, his tone neither hostile nor yielding. "You know what you are asking of your men, do you not? This path you’ve chosen will bring only ruin, not only to yourselves but to the innocent who stand by you.” The king’s voice is as steady as stone, yet there’s a razor’s edge to it—a warning, firm but laced with a final chance for redemption.

You watch, entranced. There’s a flicker of doubt in the captain’s eyes, as though he hadn’t expected such restraint from the king he’s opposed for so long. He glances back at his men, uncertainty lingering.

“Join us, or stand down,” the king continues, steel lacing his voice. “I offer you this choice not out of weakness, but out of respect for the lives that hang in the balance tonight. I will protect my kingdom, Captain, whether or not you choose to stand in its way.”

Your pulse quickens as the words settle over the gathered crowd. In that moment, you see the unbreakable will in your father’s eyes, the strength that has kept Valebrook safe. The rebel captain’s face is wrought with conflict, his fingers twitching at the hilt of his sword as he weighs his options. But you know—just as he does—that in the end, only one course remains.