Days had passed since Cassian's reckless and bloody massacre.
The streets of Veythral had returned to normal; the brief chaos created by the freed slaves and beasts had been suppressed by the swift intervention of the city guard.
But beneath this surface calm, the rumble of an approaching storm could be felt.
The Imperial investigation team had finally arrived in Veythral.
Fredrinn had assigned Rose and Eric the task of greeting them.
They were the only ones in Veythral he trusted and deemed suitable for this delicate diplomatic mission.
At the city's Main Gate stood an ostentatious carriage, adorned with gold leaf, upon which the Imperial crest shone with pride.
The carriage was guarded by four elite knights, clad in armor bearing the same crest, each clearly a warrior of the Fourth or Fifth Star level.
They were not to be underestimated, each man a small army unto himself.
In a free city like Veythral, warriors of this caliber were a rare sight.
