Leonidas wasn't blowing smoke.
His urgency highlighted a critical bottleneck: as the Champions Alliance expanded its footprint, finding trustworthy hands to manage the sprawl was becoming a nightmare. Personnel was their scarcest resource.
Tangere had survived the vetting period. Bringing him into the fold—and putting him to work—was no longer just an option; it was a necessity.
"I'll handle it," Orion said, his voice resolute. "Once I fully break seclusion, I'll pay him a visit. I want to look him in the eye before we hand him the keys."
With the decision made, the tension around the table dissipated. The heavy hitters of the Champions Alliance spent the rest of the meeting atop the four-sided tower outlining their grand strategy, their voices sealed behind a soundproof barrier.
Nearby, Standard-bearer Vex and Xalathar stood at attention, their eyes wide.
