The New Realm.
As evening fell, a black car drove slowly into the depths of a rundown community.
Finally, it passed through a wrought-iron gate that opened silently and stopped in front of a three-story villa.
The villa had a stone foundation, red brick walls, and exposed dark brown wooden beams, exuding an air of understated yet solid nobility.
Warm light shone from the large floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a glimpse of exquisite curtains and the outlines of elegant furniture.
The porch was paved with flat flagstones, flanked on either side by evergreen shrubs trimmed into spheres.
Soon, the car door opened, and a middle-aged man in a dark gray suit stepped out.
It was Rodrick.
He slammed the car door shut with a BANG, the force of it shaking the vehicle's frame.
The driver flinched in his seat, not daring to make a sound. After a moment, he started the car and drove down the driveway toward the garage on the side.
