Two weeks passed like smoke scattered by the wind.
Hexagon Hall once again stood as a silent witness to the gathering of the most powerful figures in the Kingdom of Aethelgard. Nothing had changed within the room—the polished black stone walls, the six hanging crystal chandeliers representing the six provinces, and the ancient blackwood round table with its intricately carved map. The silence runes along the corners still pulsed with a faint glow, ensuring that not a single foreign ear could eavesdrop on tonight's proceedings.
However, the atmosphere was palpably different.
Two weeks ago, the tension had been wrapped in layers of pleasantries and diplomacy. Tonight, it was naked. Every soul seated around the table already knew where this meeting was headed. There was no more room for doubt. No more time for deliberation.
