The war cry lasted for thirty seconds before the first strike of what would become a different kind of chaos entirely.
Rex stood at the top of the spire, watching the chaos unfold from a vantage point that surpassed any tactical map, enjoying the elevated perspective of someone who had initiated a plan and was now witnessing its initial consequences.
The Underlayer's population had heard the speech. They had heard the announcement about the eleven.
They had seen the marking appear on people they knew—those they had worked alongside, trusted as neighbors, and in some cases, considered friends—and the sight of that marking had done exactly what Rex had anticipated.
It had divided the room.
