Veer settled into the plush backseat of his armored car, the holographic dashboard humming to life. He didn't glance at his assistant; his gaze was fixed on a distant point, somewhere between thought and calculation.
"Contact the First Knight," he said, his voice low and commanding.
"Yes, sir," the assistant replied, fingers dancing across the console with practiced precision.
A moment later, a voice filled the car's speakers, familiar yet deferential. "My lord. I was just thinking of you."
"Where are you?" Veer asked, urgency sharpening every word.
"Southern Capital."
"Good. Get to the Dragon's Lair. Escort him to the Saffron Spire," Veer commanded, leaving no room for argument.
There was a pause, heavy with disbelief. "Him? He's… he's awake?"
"Yes," Veer confirmed, voice tight, final. "Keep him safe until preparations are complete. Do not leave his side."
The line went dead. Silence filled the car, broken only by the soft hum of the engines. Even for the assistant, one of the Twelve Knights and privy to the family's most guarded secrets, the news hit hard. A man who had slept for a century and a half had returned. The rumors he had heard were mere whispers; now the legend was real. A cold dread settled in his chest as he considered the upheaval this would bring to the carefully maintained order of their era.
"Let's get to the family estate."
"Yes, sir," Samarth said, snapping the car into motion.
The estate appeared on the horizon, a majestic fortress rising from the rolling grounds—a fusion of ancient architectural grandeur and gleaming modern glass. Domed towers and intricate carvings concealed advanced systems, the heartbeat of a family that balanced tradition and technology.
Inside, Veer moved through the halls with the quiet grace of a man who commanded every inch of the space. Servants bowed their heads as he passed, silent acknowledgments of authority, while the very air seemed to hum with the precision of a household run like a military operation.
He reached the heavy doors of his private study. Without slowing, he gestured to a maid arranging flowers nearby.
"Send the butler in," he ordered, voice low and final.