Vahn received a sudden invitation.
The invitation did not arrive through the standard diplomatic channels, nor was it heralded by the blaring of trumpets or the formal chanting of high scribes. It manifested within the private imperial archive chamber of Astralis, a place where the air was thick with the scent of ancient parchment and the hum of law-etched data crystals.
It appeared as a localized ripple in reality, a shimmering sigil forming directly in the air before Vahn's eyes.
The sigil did not ask for permission. It did not negotiate. Threads of foreign authority, woven from a logic far more complex and ancient than the foundational laws of the Astralis Empire, wove themselves into the room's atmosphere without meeting a single point of resistance.
Celestine was present when the breach occurred. She did not reach for her weapon; instead, she stood perfectly still, her expression tightening into a mask of wary recognition as she studied the geometry of the light.
