The air in Yalda crackled with jubilant energy. Banners depicting the Knights of Yalda, resplendent in shining armor, rippled in the warm breeze. The scent of roasting meat and honeyed woodsmoke hung heavy, mingling with the sounds of laughter, music, and the clinking of goblets. Tonight, the kingdom celebrated a victory hard-won: the slaying of one of the Seven Demon Princes, a feat thought impossible just months ago. The royal city—named for Yaldeth, its celestial patron goddess—glowed with jo