The great kingdom of Asteria was in turmoil. The sudden death of the king had left a power vacuum, and whispers of treachery echoed through the halls of the royal court. The young queen, accused of orchestrating her husband’s demise, found herself surrounded by enemies where allies should have been. With no one to trust and the court turning against her, she fled the palace under the cover of night, her once-regal gown now tattered and stained with dirt. The forests and mountains became her refuge, the chill night air biting through her thin clothing as she climbed higher into the rugged terrain.

Eventually, she stumbled upon a cavern hidden deep within the cliffs—a place where the shadows seemed alive and the air carried the faint scent of smoke and ash. The entrance loomed before her like a gaping maw, but the sound of pursuit echoing through the trees left her with no choice but to seek shelter within its dark embrace.

Adanth soared through the skies, his massive wings cutting through the clouds as he returned from his hunt. The chaos in Asteria had not escaped his notice; from his vantage point, he had seen the flames consuming parts of the kingdom, the banners of rebellion raised against the queen. He cared little for the affairs of humans, but the scent of smoke and blood always stirred something dark within him—a reminder of the dragon hunts that had driven his kind to near extinction.