The morning air was cold as the group made their way toward the entrance of the private realm, the sky still painted in soft shades of orange and purple from the rising sun.
Raiden walked alongside Theodore and Aria, with Woolie trotting happily beside him, Neva perched on his shoulder, and Rose coiled comfortably around his neck.
Behind them, Tobias and Maple followed at a slower pace, their expressions unreadable in the early morning light.
As they approached the massive stone archway marking the entrance to the trial grounds, Raiden felt his jaw drop slightly at the sheer scale of the crowd already gathered there.
Hundreds of people stood scattered across the open field, dressed in fine robes bearing the Stormwind crest, their voices creating a low hum of chatter that echoed across the grounds.
"There sure are a lot of people here." Raiden muttered, scanning the crowd with mild interest.
