C467 THE LONG ROAD OF THE GATE

"Do you hear that? The silence is louder than the war ever was," Aria said, her voice barely a breath. She stood at the edge of the palace balcony, looking down at the thousands of mortals huddled in the ruins below. They weren't cheering anymore. They were shivering. The adrenaline of the uprising had vanished, leaving behind a cold, hollow reality: they had no food, no shelter