The air in the clearing became heavy, saturated with a tension that felt almost physical. Third Elder Nel Von Vermilion stood before Veldora, his sharp eyes examining the white-haired man with a mixture of suspicion and deep-seated gratitude. He was a man who had survived the most treacherous political storms of the empire, yet looking at Veldora, he felt a strange, primal instinct telling him that this bodyguard was far more than he appeared to be.
It is a pleasure to meet you, Veldora, Nel said, his voice measured and resonant. We owe you a debt that cannot be easily repaid for saving Prince Liam from those shadows. You have sharp eyes to have chosen to serve him; it seems you’ve recognized the hidden gem within the rough, just as we have.
The exchange of pleasantries was brief, a mask
