The elevator hummed softly as it ascended, Nathan stood at the center, his hands behind his back.His face was calm but his cabinet members, however, were far less composed. Gareth shifted uneasily, his gaze darting to the ornate golden panel of the elevator.The other two ministers stood stiffly, and they exchanged nervous glances. Nathan, however, remained unmoved. His eyes were fixed on the elevator doors.The elevator came to a stop with a soft chime, and the doors slid open to reveal the Apex Council Chamber. The room was very large, and the ceiling was very high.At the far end of the chamber stood a massive throne, with gold carvings. It was more than obvious that was the throne of Sebastian. Seated at a long, rectangular table in front of the throne were members of Sabastian’s cabinet. They were dressed in robes of the finest silk; they looked so rich and well f, ed, unlike the inhabitants outside the gates. Nathan walked into the room with his gaze sweeping over the cou

“You want me,” Sabastian thundered, his voice booming through the chamber, “to partner with the same people who drove me and my mother from our home? The same people who spat on us and called us condemned?” His voice cracked with a raw, primal emotion, and for the first time, there was a glimpse of the pain behind his anger. He stepped down from his throne, each step echoing in the now-silent room, his predatory gaze never leaving Nathan.“My mother,” Sabastian growled, “was an innocent woman. She was banished from Prescott, she was called a traitor for crimes she did not commit. Do you know what we suffered, Nathan? Do you have any idea?” He took another step closer, his towering frame casting a long shadow over Nathan and his ministers. “No one would take us in,” he continued, his voice rising. “We were outcasts. Condemned by your father’s decree. We starved. We begged. We survived by sheer will alone because the world gave us nothing. And you think,” he snarled, his lip curlin

The grand iron gates of the Apex Tower groaned as they swung open, the sound reverberating through the vast courtyard. The air outside was thick with the biting cold of Vorthax’s unforgiving weather. Nathan stepped forward first, and the ministers trailed nervously behind him.The path leading to the helicopter was lined with guards. The tension was palpable as the hardened guards gripped their weapons tighter.Behind Nathan, Gareth stumbled slightly, catching himself with a shaky hand on his colleague’s arm. “Are we truly walking out of here alive?” Gareth whispered, his voice barely audible over the wind.The helicopter came into view, the rotors were already spinning slowly, a low hum vibrating through the air as the pilot waited for his passengers. As they approached, one of Sabastian’s guards stepped closer to escort them the rest of the way.Reaching the helicopter, Nathan stopped and turned, his ministers halting behind him. He cast one last look at the Apex Tower.The golde

The following morning, the sun rose over Prescott, and in the cabinet chamber, a murmur of voices filled the room as ministers gathered; their faces were pale, especially the ministers who went with Nathan to Vorthax. Gareth, who was still visibly shaken, stood in a small circle with two of the other ministers who had accompanied Nathan to Vorthax. His voice trembled slightly as he recounted the horrifying experience. “Sabastian is… unlike anyone I’ve ever encountered,” Gareth said, his hands gripping the edge of the table. “The man commands fear simply by existing. His presence is.... overwhelming, suffocating."He came up with any words he could use to describe it but it did not feel they were enough. And his threats… they weren’t empty at all.” Another minister nodded, his expression grim. “I could feel it too. He’s not just a tyrant; he’s a predator. Do you know he keeps the teeth of all the beast he has conquered with his bare hands around his neck?” A ripple of unease

Lillian nodded briskly, her face pale but her professionalism unshaken. She picked up the box and hurried out of the chamber. Nathan then turned to James who was now Prescott’s Head of Security and Intelligence. “James,” Nathan commanded. James immediately straightened, his sharp features reflecting the seriousness of the situation. “Mr. President,” he replied, his voice steady. “Find out who delivered that package,” Nathan said, each word laced with quiet fury. “I don’t care what it takes—pull every surveillance tape, interrogate every staff member if you have to. I want the person alive.” “Yes, sir,” James replied, already scribbling notes in his notebook. “We’ll comb through every detail. I’ll have a preliminary report on your desk within hours.” Nathan nodded, his expression unrelenting. “Good. And James, if it turns out that someone within Prescott betrayed us…” He let the sentence hang in the air. James eyes darkened with understanding. “Understood, sir.” Nathan