The silence in the subterranean vault deepened until even the faint hum of the ceiling witchlight crystals seemed to freeze in the still air.
Hajin stood motionless upon the stone flagstones, meeting the King's piercing gaze without the slightest tremor in his posture.
"The office I speak of has remained vacant for nearly two centuries," King Atheron said, his deep voice carrying the profound resonance of absolute imperial authority.
"In the ancient chronicles of Elurus, that office was known as the Royal Executioner, the Imperial Blade that answers exclusively to the living monarch," the King explained, resting his hand upon the pommel of his ceremonial rapier.
Walking over to a carved pedestal of black marble, the King lifted the lid of an antique iron coffer, revealing an ornate pendant of pure, unpolished obsidian.
