Aelyra's castle stood at the easternmost point of the continent, where the land met the ocean in black, violent cliffs. Unlike the northern fortresses, which seemed to spring from ice, or the industrial cities of Asgard, which grew in iron and steam, this castle appeared to have been torn directly from the seabed and planted against the sky. Its towers were tall, narrow, and curved, covered in dark stones polished by the constant sea spray. Large canals crisscrossed the inner courtyards, carrying saltwater into the structure itself, while waves crashed against the outer walls with enough force to shake the foundations on stormy nights.
That night, the storm wasn't just coming from the sky.
