Night fell over the Palace of Eternal Flames with an almost sacred solemnity.
It was the day of the ceremony of the five lineages: an ancient tradition in which each house had to present a sacred dance in honor of the Empire's balance.
The representatives of each lineage wore unique ceremonial garments, embroidered with arcane symbols and colors that spoke of centuries of power.
In the center of the great hall, a circular platform floated slightly above the floor, sustained by ancestral spiritual energy.
The attendees, from high nobles to foreign envoys, waited in silence.
But no one said it aloud: everyone was waiting to see Suwei.
House Baihuan opened the ceremony with a fierce dance, inspired by the white tiger.
The movements were aggressive, rhythmic, almost a challenge.
House Renxia followed with a choreography of fire and cunning, imitating the three-tailed fox.
Each turn seemed like an invisible trap.
