[New Arc]
There were nine of them — Cassius leading, eight of Loki's most reliable fighters behind him. Not elite warriors specifically — this was a reconnaissance mission, not a combat operation. Loki had been explicit about that.
Do not engage. Do not reveal your presence. Observe and return. I want to know what Chronus is doing with his eastern border patrols — they've been absent for three weeks and I need to understand why.
Three weeks of absent border patrols from the Second Seat's territory was alarming enough on its own. Chronus was methodical. His territorial borders were maintained with the precision of a demon lord who had existed for millennia and understood that consistent patrol patterns were as much a statement of power as any military force.
For those patrols to simply stop — no announcement, no explanation, no diplomatic signal — something had changed.
