River:
The Council Headquarters loomed ahead like a fortress of iron and stone, its high spires stabbing at the cloud-heavy sky.
The moment Kieran and I crossed through the main gates, the air shifted - thickening with tension that tasted like metal and fear. The guards stationed at the entrance straightened instinctively, scenting our arrival long before they actually saw us.
Our shoes struck the marble floor in steady rhythm - controlled, measured, but carrying enough weight to echo through the vast corridor like a warning. Jasper and Mark followed just a few steps behind, silent but alert.
Every step we took meant business, and everyone knew it.
The faint hum of conversation that usually filled the hallways died the instant someone noticed us. Staff members froze, their gazes darting between us as if unsure whether to bow or simply disappear. Most chose the latter, scurrying into adjacent corridors before our aura reached them.
