Adventure of Brandon Dubois

Brandon Dubois pushes through the gatehouse and into High Point's inner ward. Cold torchlight stripes the stone, and wet cobbles shine beneath the looming walls.

The Castle Guards hold their line behind him, tense but parted. Valerius slips in after the diversion, keeping close to the gate.

A gust funnels through the ward, rattling banners above the courtyard. Ahead, the inner passage opens toward the heart of the castle, and somewhere beyond it lies the king's hall.

Brandon breaks into a run, boots striking wet stone as he cuts under the arch and into the ward. His sword hand stays low, his gaze flicking ahead for any sign of the false messenger.

Valerius follows a pace behind, half turned to watch the guards and half urging Brandon onward with a sharp motion of the hand. Behind them, the line at the gate holds, disturbed but no longer blocking the way.

Brandon drives straight through the inner ward and scans the corridor mouths and stairway shadows. Torchlight catches on stone pillars, banners, and moving figures, but no courier in Iskan colors stands ahead to bar him.

At the far end, the way to the king's hall opens before him, and Brandon reaches it without delay. The chamber beyond is not yet in full view, but the threshold is his now, and the air beyond feels watched.

Valerius slows at the ward behind him, eyes fixed on the opening ahead. From somewhere deeper in the castle, footsteps and a brief murmur answer the chase, as if someone inside has noticed the disturbance.