Chapter 48

ELIZA'S POV The wind was bitter at the southern border. This place held so many memories for me. I had once run through these streets with my feet barely touching the ground as I chased my friends through the bustling markets. The laughter of my younger self echoed loudly in my ears. My memories were drowned out by the silence of what had become of this place. The trade town was once filled with so many activities. Now, it was in ruins. The shops I had known so well were nothing but crumbled walls and shattered windows. The roads that once were filled with travelers were cracked and lifeless. My stomach twisted as the scent of smoke and decay filled the air. I had never expected to see it like this—not after all the memories we’d shared here, all the carefree days of training, of playing. This was where I had learned to wield a sword, to protect those I loved, where I had first felt the rush of adrenaline from battle. It was supposed to be a place of life, a symbol of the unity we once