Deep within the Valoria Palace, in the secluded chamber reserved for the emperor's contemplation, silence reigned.
Only the flickering of candlelight disturbed the stillness, the flames swaying gently, casting long shadows that traced the cold stone walls. The wavering glow outlined Aurek's sharp, unyielding profile as he sat hunched over a spread of parchment—an ancient sheepskin scroll stretched out before him.
With deliberate precision, he inscribed words across the vellum. But these were no mere letters. Each stroke seemed to tug at invisible strands of law and fate, threads of power that shimmered faintly in the unseen realm. When his pen left the parchment, the script burned faintly with the resonance of will. In the end, the decree carried with it a weight like a mountain—a concise command imbued with the spirit of an emperor.
When he was finished, Aurek handed the scroll to Angie, who stood silently at his side.
