Sirus stepped through the grand halls, the echoes of laughter and music mocking him with their joy. The opulent chandeliers cast flickering shadows on the walls, like specters of his own failed dreams. He navigated through the sea of nobles and courtiers, their faces blurring together in a haze of contempt. As he approached the grand ballroom, the sounds of merriment grew louder. The anniversary celebration of the new king's ascension. The man who had stolen everything from Sirus: his...