The brutal winter blizzard that had paralyzed the northern mountain passes for three full days finally broke just before dawn, leaving the Shadowfall Domain buried beneath a breathtaking mantle of pristine, glittering snow.
Standing on the high marble loggia of the Envoy Citadel, I breathed in the crisp, razor-sharp morning air. The sky above was a vast, cloudless dome of brilliant cobalt, and the rising sun cast long, golden beams across the black-stone spires and frosted pine forests of the valley. Below, the courtyards were already bustling with activity as maintenance crews and senior students cleared the stone pathways with controlled bursts of elemental warmth, restoring the vibrant rhythm of daily life to the citadel.
The heavy oak double doors behind me parted smoothly, and Lord
