In a secluded corner of the City of Gods, far removed from the bustling golden avenues and the enormous structures, lay a garden that seemed to breathe with the heartbeat of the primitive world.
Here, the grass was not made of light, but of soft, emerald blades, and the air smelled of rain and ancient cedar.
Anaske, the Demigod of the Sword, and Thalorax, the Demigod of Protection, sat by a circular pond whose surface was as smooth as a polished mirror.
But the pond did not reflect the weeping willow trees or the violet sky of the celestial realm. Instead, it served as a window into the mortal world below, specifically, into the private realm of the Veridian Palace.
"Anaske, look at your successor... your pride and joy," Thalorax said, a small, provocative grin playing on his draconic features.
