As the doors to the meeting room swung open with a subtle groan, Luke stepped inside with a composed breath, flanked by Ilyrana and the knight escort. But what greeted him within was no ordinary assembly—it was a council prepared.
Seated around the long, polished oak table were six of Virencia's highest-ranking military minds, each a pillar of the empire's might. Their postures were disciplined, expressions grim but alert as if they'd all come to the same conclusion Luke had… that things were no longer in a state of waiting.
At the heart of the table sat Commander Alec, posture straight as ever, his eyes rising to meet Luke's with a steady calm that somehow carried both guilt and relief. He gave a respectful nod—the kind that said we're with you even before words had been exchanged.
