The weight of what lay ahead pressed upon me as I regarded my allies-their faces etched with determination, yet shadowed by the gravity of our endeavor. There were whispers of doubt, fears spoken only in the privacy of one's own mind, but they were smothered by a relentless drive that united us all.

"Tonight, we do not merely face The Black Faes." My voice cut through the quiet, commanding attention. "We confront our own inner demons, the ones that whisper of failure and death. Cast them aside. ...