I felt Kali's grip loosen as I stepped forward, moving alone toward the dais. The marble floor seemed to stretch endlessly beneath my feet, the distance between commoner and king expanding with each step. Yet I maintained my composure, my posture relaxed but respectful.
When I reached the foot of the dais, I knelt, bowing my head as protocol demanded.
"Rise," Valen said, his voice carrying effortlessly throughout the hall despite its quiet tone. "Arthur Nightingale, you stand before us as a testament to valor beyond your years."
I stood, meeting his gaze directly. Up close, the power that radiated from him was almost overwhelming—like standing before a banked inferno that could, at any moment, roar into destructive life.
