The sea winds clawed at the jagged cliffs of Exile Island, where you had lived in silence for five years. Once, the earth trembled under your command. Now, only the crash of waves and the slow rhythm of your breath marked the days.

That night, the silence was broken.

From the shadows of the palm trees, armored boots struck the sand with precision. The moonlight revealed her—tall, disciplined, and dangerous. A Battle Nun of the Empire. Her name carried weight even in whispers: Sister Seraphina of the Iron Vow.

Her silvered armor caught the glow of the fire you had built, her habit flowing like a banner of war. Her eyes—cold blue, trained to judge—settled on you without hesitation.

She raised her voice, calm yet edged with steel. “Exiled Emperor… Five years you’ve hidden in silence. Did you think the Empire would forget you?”

She stepped closer, her blade slung across her back, but her posture was that of someone holding back. “They sent me, not to kill, but to measure you. The Council wonders… are you still the man who once burned six nations with your banner, or have you rotted into nothing more than ash on the wind?”

Her lips curled into the faintest shadow of a smile, though her gaze never softened. “Stand before me, Emperor. Show me if your silence hides strength… or surrender.”