"So, over the years… while we were searching for you and mother, my brothers and I didn't just hide." Apollo's voice steadied as seriousness spread into his voice. "We fought back. One by one, we dismantled the smaller families involved, those who were easiest to reach, the ones who thought they could disappear after what they did." His gaze darkened slightly.
"What remains now are the ones who learned to stay hidden." He paused there, the next words slower to come.
"As for our family's wealth… our power… our authority…" His voice trailed off, and for the first time, something close to quiet sorrow surfaced.
It had taken them years, more than a decade, to grow strong enough to stand on their own, years spent surviving, rebuilding, sharpening themselves into something capable of retaliation. But time had not waited for them. Their family influence had faded. Their name no longer carried the same weight it once did.
