Tony Clark calmly walked back into the grand banquet hall.
Lily Frost walked right beside him, her beautiful face still slightly tense from the shock of the hug and the terrifying news of the impending public war.
The atmosphere inside the hall was heavy with unvoiced questions. The soft music playing in the background did little to hide the growing anxiety of the guests, who could easily hear the distant, overlapping wails of military sirens echoing from the barricaded streets of Mumbai.
As Tony sat back down in his plush, high-backed armchair, the guests immediately gathered around him in a tight circle. They were a select group of trusted student leaders from the 9 Lotus Academy, personal courtyard servants, and key family figures.
They had spent the last hour frantically scrolling through the chaotic updates on the global martial network, watching the continent split into three massive warring factions.
