[Eastern Zahryssar — Imperial Encampment — Sunset]
By sunset the imperial encampment had finally begun moving.
Thousands of imperial banners rose beneath crimson desert skies while armored serpent knights escorted the royal convoy westward toward Silthara.
The sands trembled beneath imperial carriages, mage wagons, and endless serpent soldiers. Yet despite the massive procession, an unsettling silence lingered throughout the empire's ranks.
Because everyone knew something had changed. The dead crown prince had returned, and Zahryssar no longer felt stable.
At the center of the imperial convoy, the black imperial carriage carrying Levin moved silently between endless rows of serpent knights. Blue silk curtains shifted softly beneath the desert winds while distant imperial banners danced beneath the fading sky.
