The night over the Veyris Empire had not yet fully settled.
Even after Zarythia Drakenveil smiled beneath the stars, something distant stirred beyond the boundaries of the Empire.
Not an attack.
Not a war.
A judgment.
High above reality beyond floating continents and stitched timelines a fractured space opened like a cracked mirror.
Within it stood countless colossal silhouettes seated in a circular void of law and silence.
This was not an empire.
Not a kingdom.
Not even a pantheon.
This was something older.
The Dragon Judgment Court.
They did not speak loudly.
They did not need to.
Their presence itself was authority.
And in their center engraved into an endless black throne echoed a single phrase:
She belongs to the Void Throne.
Back within the Veyris Empire.
Zarythia Drakenveil suddenly stopped walking.
Her expression changed.
Just slightly.
But Kael noticed immediately.
Kael Veyris turned toward her.
Something is wrong.
Zarythia stared upward, through layers of sky, space, and reality itself.
Her voice was calm but quieter than before.
They found me.
Kael narrowed his eyes.
Who?
Zarythia exhaled slowly.
The Dragon Judgment Court.
Silence fell instantly.
Even the wind seemed to hesitate.
Behind a crystal pillar.
four familiar figures peeked out again.
Kaelignis Veyris whispered:
That sounds like a really bad club.
Elyrion Veythera wrote quickly in her book:
Hypothesis: Zarythia has legal problems with dragons.
Lyra's Kaelry tilted her head.
Do we need to help her?
Veyloria Kaelthera stared upward.
...I think that thing is looking at us too.
Wukong, suddenly very serious for once, stepped forward.
Yeah.
It is.
Above reality.
the Dragon Judgment Court stirred.
Massive voices echoed without sound.
Ancient verdicts unfolded across invisible law.
The Void Throne demands its heir return.
Zarythia Drakenveil is bound by origin clause.
Noncompliance will result in existential correction.
Back in the Empire.
Kael's gaze sharpened.
You came here to hide.
Zarythia nodded once.
I came here to live.
Not to be claimed.
A pause.
Then she looked at Kael.
And I thought I succeeded.
Kael stepped forward slightly.
You still might.
Zarythia blinked.
Even against them?
Kael answered calmly.
They're not in my Empire yet.
A faint silence followed.
Then.
the sky above the Empire flickered.
A thin line of pressure pressed against reality itself.
The Judgment Court was approaching.
From behind Kael.
Ignisia's voice suddenly appeared.
Oh.
So it's one of those days again.
Wukong groaned.
I KNEW IT WAS TOO PEACEFUL.
The daughters immediately gathered closer.
Kaelignis:
Okay so we're fighting sky lawyers?
Elyrion:
Classification: extremely annoying cosmic bureaucracy.
Lyra:
Do they drop loot?
Veyloria:
I'm going back inside.
Zarythia looked at Kael one more time.
For the first time.
her voice carried something more human.
If I refuse them…
they may erase the path that led me here.
Kael answered simply.
Then we rewrite the path.
Zarythia stared at him.
Then slowly very slowly she smiled again.
So that's your answer.
Kael nodded.
Yes.
And above them.
the Dragon Judgment Court began to descend.
Not as war.
Not as destruction.
But as judgment.
And the Empire answered by standing still.
Waiting.
Unmoved.