Riftstone Fortress.
The morning sky had been an azure, cloudless expanse, like a freshly washed gemstone. But just past noon, dark clouds gathered in the blink of an eye.
Soon, a light drizzle began to fall, forming a curtain of rain and bringing plentiful water to the oak forest that partially surrounded the fortress.
Green branches swayed, growing with vigor in the rain, and the croaking of frogs echoed from the wetlands... It should have been a lush and vibrant scene.
But just then, a bare, bony foot suddenly appeared and stepped onto the mossy ground.
HISS! The moss around the point of contact instantly blackened and withered, releasing a sinister aura.
On the fortress walls, the Slime Guards were undaunted by the wind and rain. With resolute expressions, they held their small iron spears and continued to patrol the slick paths, bouncing with a SQUISH SQUISH sound as they dutifully stood guard.
