Morning light filtered through the palace corridors, but the calm it brought was deceptive. Beneath the polished floors and silent courtyards, tension coiled like a sleeping beast. The Emperor stood in the inner hall, hands clasped behind his back, facing the monk who had arrived from the Sacred Mount.
The monk's robe was simple, his beard long and silver, his eyes deep as still water. He did not bow too deeply, nor did he appear arrogant. He stood as someone who understood heaven, earth, and the fragile line between them.
"You summoned me, Your Majesty," the monk said softly.
The Emperor nodded. "You said there is something powerful in this palace. Something dark."
"Yes," the monk replied without hesitation. "And it is not alone."
The Emperor's gaze hardened. "I have ordered the recruitment of monks, Taoists, priests, and exorcists. They are already arriving. I want you to train them."
