The arduous journey west, across the scarred and bleeding lands of what was once Eloriath, finally brought Kenneth, Archmage Lilliana Valtor, and their small escort of young mages to their destination. The air itself seemed to change as they approached the rumored borders of the Steele territory – a subtle shift, a feeling of oppressive demonic energy receding, replaced by a clean, almost sterile sense of order.
Then, they saw it. Not a wall of stone or wood, but a shimmering, almost invisible curtain of pure energy that stretched as far as the eye could see, pulsing with intricate, incomprehensible runes. The legendary Steele Family defensive barrier.
"By the Archons," one of the younger mages breathed, awestruck. "It's real. And it feels… impenetrable."
Kenneth felt a knot of apprehension tighten in his stomach. This barrier was a physical manifestation of Alaric Steele's power, a power that had once crushed him utterly. 'He built this? That arrogant bastard...'
