The world had shifted subtly over the past month since Anthony's grand birthday banquet, a time when the festivities of the event still echoed in the air.
Yet, for all its joy, a certain stillness had settled in Anthony's life.
He had become an observer of his own days, each one slipping by in a haze of indulgence.
He spent hours, if not entire days, lazing about the estate, drifting between sleep and waking, ensnared in the luxury and peace afforded to him by the Null legacy.
Anthony's usual restlessness had been replaced by a quiet lethargy, an odd contentment as he took each moment in stride.
The weight of his power had grown less pressing with the passage of time, as though the urgency of his existence had momentarily faded.
He felt disconnected from the ever-changing world outside, where events of great import were unfolding, a stark contrast to his own placid lifestyle.
