{ ELIAS BACKSTORY }
The market buzzed with a gentle hum, the scent of spices and freshly baked bread hanging in the air. Elias, a young man of sixteen years, stood behind the polished wooden counter of his father's small artisan shop. Sunlight streamed through the open doorway, illuminating the carefully crafted jewelry and ornaments displayed within. Elias, though still an apprentice, had a keen eye and a steady hand, a skill inherited from his father, a man known throughout the city for his honesty and craftsmanship.
A shadow fell across the doorway, and Elias looked up to see Lord Collin, a nobleman known more for his dealings than his noble spirit. He was a tall man, his clothes rich and his face set in a sneer. He often visited the market, not always to buy, but to be seen, to remind the common folk of his status.
