"The northern winds carried in cold air from the Chantoll Ice Forest, making this year’s winter in the Holy Kingdom an especially cold one. Lake Saintris’ now-frozen surface gleamed brightly in the sunlight as the citizens of Novarista scurried about. There was much to be done for the upcoming Celios Festival!
Just as the streets of Novarista were filled with hustle and bustle, so too was the palace. The Archbishop, Eleonora, was summoning her fellow bishops for the yearly holy ritual of Trisagion.
Seated on her throne, Empress Matin listened to the administrative report, though her mind seemed to be on more troubling matters.
‘Falo...’ She thought. ‘What are you doing? I have heard nothing from you these days... did something happen to you?’
It had been three months since she ordered Falo to find her brother, but she heard nothing of his progress since then – not even a single message."