Following his quiet midnight journey to the southern seas to repay his debt to Toli, Sagiri returned to the sunlit capital of Azareen.
The turquoise domes and wide salt canals of the eastern metropolis glowed warmly beneath the bright morning sun as the city woke to bustling trade.
As Sagiri walked into the shaded courtyard of the sovereign residence, the sound of lively voices and heavy wagon wheels echoed through the archway.
A grand southern carriage adorned with the crest of Thazir had just pulled into the courtyard, escorted by elite desert scouts.
Leaping down from the lead carriage was young City Lord Azir, his face beaming with excitement as he waved his arms frantically.
Behind him, stepping down carefully from the polished wooden steps, were Sagiri's adoptive parents, Bakuru and Rusha.
"Big Brother! Look who I brought from the northern waystation!" Azir shouted proudly, sprinting across the courtyard with a bright grin.
