Prague, Czech Republic — 3:03 a.m.
The man in the porcelain mask moved through the ancient library like a shadow.
Every step was measured, silent, almost reverent. The guards were precisely where they had been predicted—lulled by routine and bored by centuries of quiet.
He stopped before the relic: an oak case sealed with tempered glass, resting atop a marble pedestal. Inside, a single weathered codex glowed under dim lights— Corpus Mentis: The Hidden Mind. The text had not seen the light of day since the Habsburg Empire, believed to be a myth. But the Order knew better.
With swift hands, he broke the seal and removed a leather-bound notebook hidden beneath the codex. It bore the initials K.S.
The man turned, a faint smile behind his mask.
"The time has come," he whispered. "Let the world wake."