The imperial capital was a city carved from gold and iron. From miles away, its spires gleamed beneath the sun, and the walls rose like mountains, layered with runes that shimmered faintly with protective light. Beyond the gates, wide avenues stretched endlessly, lined with marble statues of past emperors and heavenly beasts.
The great hall of assembly of the Palace was vast enough to swallow a thousand men. Its high ceiling disappeared into darkness, from which hung banners embroidered with dragons, fluttering in a wind that wasn't there.
On the throne sat the Emperor.
He was an old man by years, yet the weight of his presence crushed the hall like a mountain. His robes were deep crimson stitched with black, the imperial crest glinting gold across his chest. A crown of jade and obsidian rested on his brow.
His gaze was calm, ancient, and sharp enough to strip a man bare of every secret.
