The pale dawn crept slowly through the frosted arched windows of the Imperial bedchamber.
Kai stood by the thick glass, looking down at the sprawling, silent metropolis of Helios.
The heavy snow continued to fall, burying the ancient golden spires under a pristine, unyielding blanket of white.
Yena slept peacefully, tangled in the luxurious silk sheets, her dark hair fanned out across the pillows.
A translucent blue system prompt blinked patiently in the far corner of his vision.
[System: Arc Three - The Astral War - Initialization Sequence Pending]
[Warning: Continental Leylines detect severe foreign spatial breaches]
Kai dismissed the glowing text with a lazy flick of his cold fingers.
Foreign spatial breaches meant visitors from beyond the mortal sky.
He turned away from the massive window, pulling his dark silk robe smoothly over his scarred shoulders.
Yena stirred on the mattress, stretching her toned arms and slowly opening her amber eyes.
