Fifteen years earlier, Peirft Perot approached the Citadel's grand gates with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. The sun dipped low in the sky, casting long shadows over the courtyard as he stepped onto the cobblestones, his footsteps echoing in the quiet.

A group of novice acolytes bustled past him, their robes billowing in the breeze as they chattered excitedly amongst themselves. Peirft couldn't help but feel a pang of envy at their...