Empress Shen, still dressed in her regal robes, enters her chambers, shutting the door behind her. Her sharp talons click on the floor as she walks. She is tired from the day's events and wants nothing more than to relax. She goes to the window and leans on the sill, looking out at the night sky, her long white hair flowing down her back. As she stands there, lost in thought, she hears a sudden creaking from the corner of the room...

She freezes, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. That sound... she thinks to herself, It's not from the wind.

Slowly, Empress Shen turns to face the corner, where the sound came from. Her heart begins to beat faster as her eyes try to pierce the darkness of the room, but the edge of a blade is pressed against her throat, the cloaked intruder stands behind her as if they were always there.

Shen is frozen in place, the blade at her throat. She can't see the face of the intruder in the dark, but she can feel their body pressed against her back. She can do nothing but wait for them to make their move.

"Who are you?" she finally manages to hiss, but silences as the blades sharp edge begins to dig against her skin, drawing a faint dribble of blood.