Dim light flickered against the walls, the single lantern projecting shadows across the polished wooden floors. Aric sat at his desk, hunched slightly forward, his sharp eyes scanning the interface floating before him.
The faint hum of the system was ever-present in the quiet room, a subtle reminder of its constant presence in his life.
He hadn't slept—at least, not properly—in days. But he didn't need rest right now. What he needed was clarity.
The system chimed softly.
[Sub-Quest Activated: Intercept the Draken Envoy.]
Aric exhaled through his nose, his jaw tightening as he read the details of the mission.
The Draken envoy wasn't just a nuisance; their arrival was a threat to everything he had built. If they reached the Imperial Court, they would unravel the careful threads of manipulation and alliances he had spent months weaving.
Their information on Sylas could tip the scales in his brothers' favor, and he wasn't about to let that happen.
Failure wasn't an option.
