The world had changed in ten years. Empires rose, kingdoms fell, and heroes were born. Yet, as Damien Stark stepped onto the cobbled streets of his homeland, it was as if time had barely touched him.

  Dressed in a simple black coat, his silver hair swayed in the evening breeze, his golden eyes reflecting the setting sun. He walked with the casual ease of a man who feared nothing and cared for even less.

  The capital was bustling—flags of House Stark and the Imperial Family hung from towering spires. Soldiers in polished silver armor patrolled the streets, their gazes sharp, their movements disciplined. Yet, when their eyes fell upon him, something changed. Recognition. Confusion. Fear.

  Damien ignored them.

  He had seen true war, fought against things that would turn these knights into trembling children. Demons, forgotten gods, worlds where even legends were nothing but footnotes in history.Compared to that, the grandeur of the Empire was... small.

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  His boots echoed against the marble floor as he stepped into the Imperial Palace.

  The guards stiffened. Some clenched their weapons instinctively. They had heard the stories. The lost son of House Stark. The man who vanished for a decade. The monster who might not even be human anymore.

  "Sir Damien Stark," one of the knights finally spoke, bowing stiffly. "The Emperor awaits you in the throne room."

  Damien gave a slow nod and continued walking. The palace doors, enchanted and reinforced to withstand a Legend’s attack, creaked open effortlessly.

  Inside, the air was thick with power.Nobles, generals, archmages—figures who shaped the Empire’s fate stood in attendance. At the center, seated upon his gilded throne, was Emperor Alden Velcair, ruler of the strongest nation on the continent.

  "Damien Stark," the Emperor spoke, his voice heavy with authority. "It has been a long time."

  Damien's golden eyes met his. "Has it?" His voice was calm, devoid of any reverence.

  A flicker of something passed through the Emperor’s gaze—annoyance, amusement, curiosity.

  "You were personally invited," Alden continued, watching him carefully. "For my daughter’s wedding."

  Damien smirked slightly. "Is that truly the reason?"

  For a moment, the throne room was silent. Everyone felt it. The weight of something unseen. A pressure that made even the strongest hesitate.

  It was the presence of a being far beyond what this world could comprehend.

  Damien Stark had returned. And the world was about to change.