"Lord Asher…" Aaron's voice rang out like a bell in the stillness of night, calm yet layered with veiled amusement. "A pleasure to finally meet you, though the circumstances are… less than ideal."
He reined in his white destrier just beyond the treeline, the steed's breath visible in the cold air. Behind him, the ranks of his cavalry stood still as statues, their steel armor catching glints of firelight from the distant braziers.
The air between the armies was heavy, charged with the weight of what could erupt at any moment.
Aaron's eyes scanned the settlement before him and his brows twitched ever so slightly.
A wall. But not just any wall.
Nine meters tall, fashioned from tightly interlocked timber beams thicker than tree trunks, reinforced at the seams, and crowned with defensive platforms. Its surface bore marks of recent construction, yet it stood as if weathered by years. Solid. Rooted. Defiant.
