Dawn light filtered through the eastern tower's courtyard as Klaus settled into lotus position on smooth stone that had been warmed by the first rays of morning sun. The garden around him held peaceful silence broken only by distant sounds of estate workers beginning daily routines. Dudu lay curled behind him like enormous cat, the Night Dragon's steady breathing creating rhythm that enhanced rather than disturbed the meditative atmosphere.
Klaus placed his hands on his knees with practiced precision, fingers forming mudra that had been carved into muscle memory through lifetimes of repetition. The familiar posture activated pathways within his consciousness that connected to techniques predating current magical understanding, methods that operated on principles modern practitioners had forgotten or abandoned.
He closed his crystalline eyes and began reciting in low, measured tones that carried harmonics beyond normal human vocalization:
