The primary study of Oakhaven no longer resembled a standard military command center. It had been formatted by the raw, unrestrained arrival of the Verdant Heir, and it now resembled the beating, breathing heart of a living world.
The cold stone pillars had been encased by massive, smooth, ancient tree roots that naturally arched across the ceiling, providing flawless, unbreakable structural support. The ironwood tactical table was no longer dead, petrified timber; it was a massive, flat-topped, living stump. Instead of dripping wax candles, the room was bathed in the soft, warm, bioluminescent glow of dozens of pale blue orchids that gently pulsed in rhythm with the valley's ambient wind.
The Warlord's Council was in session.
Valeria stood at the head of the living table, wearing her dark Warlord's coat over a simple linen tunic. Kael, Caspian, Lucian, Silas, and Ignis stood around the perimeter of the room, silently observing the new era they had fought so bitterly to secure.
