The foundations of power had been set.
Raiden Velkar. The warrior who crushed armies with sheer brute strength.
Elara Harkness. The sorceress who bent the laws of magic to her will.
Varian Nightshade. The assassin who would one day bring an empire to its knees.
With the three of them by his side, Zayn's faction was no longer a dream. It was a force, a storm brewing in the dark, waiting for the moment to strike.
And now, the real work began.
The First Council
The meeting took place in a forgotten hideout beneath Noctharis. Hidden deep within the catacombs, the chamber was carved from ancient stone, its walls etched with faded symbols of a lost era. The air was thick with dampness, and the flickering light of enchanted torches cast long shadows, making the room feel even more isolated from the world above.
A circular stone table stood at the center, cracked and worn from centuries of abandonment. Around it, four figures gathered—each dangerous in their own right, each carrying the weight of their own battles.
Zayn stood at the head of the table, golden eyes sharp, unwavering. His cloak barely stirred in the still air, but his presence was like a storm about to break.
Raiden leaned against a pillar, arms crossed, ever the warrior—impatient and restless. His battle-worn knuckles tapped against the stone, a restless rhythm of a man who thrived in chaos. "So, what now?" His tone was edged with the anticipation of battle, as if he could already smell the blood of their future enemies.
Elara sat at the table, fingers tracing arcane symbols into the dust, her mind already weaving a hundred possibilities. The dim light reflected off the silver strands of her hair as she spoke, voice smooth and measured. "Now we discuss the why. You gathered us, Zayn, but to what end?"
Varian was the only one who remained truly unreadable. The assassin lounged in the shadows, one boot resting on the edge of the table, his daggers glinting under the low light. His dark hood obscured half his face, but his smirk was visible, lazy yet sharp. "I assume this is where you tell us your grand ambition."
Zayn exhaled. They were right. This was the moment. The moment he would tell them what they were really here for. What they were truly meant to accomplish.
"A new order. A power that would shake the foundations of the Empire itself."
He met their gazes, one by one, before speaking.
"We are going to break the Empire."
Silence.
Raiden's fingers clenched into fists before he let out a bark of laughter, shaking his head.
But the laughter stopped as a glint of shock appeared in his eyesc "You're serious."
Zayn's smirk was razor-sharp. "Completely."
Elara's violet eyes narrowed. The firelight reflected in them made them seem like molten amethysts. "And replace it with what?"
Zayn took a step forward, his voice unwavering. "Something better."
Varian chuckled, the sound barely above a whisper. "Ambitious."
Zayn turned to him, unblinking. "Tell me, Varian. Why do you kill?"
The assassin tilted his head slightly, as if amused by the question. "Because I'm good at it."
Zayn nodded, as if that answer had been expected. "And because you know that no ruler, no system, no god above has the right to chain us."
Varian's smirk faded slightly, but he said nothing.
Elara simply remained unresponsive, but one could see the calculating look in her eyes if they observed her close enough.
Zayn's gaze flicked to Raiden. "You've seen how the Empire uses warriors like you—raising you up only to throw you away when you're no longer useful. They praise your strength, but they fear your power."
To Elara. "You, of all people, should know how they silence those who seek the truth. How they hoard knowledge not to enlighten, but to control."
His golden eyes gleamed as he took one last step forward, voice lowering to a whisper that carried more weight than any war cry.
"The Empire is a lie. Its strength is borrowed, its laws are chains, and its rulers are parasites feasting on the backs of those who could truly shape this world."
He let the words settle, the truth of them seeping into the air like poison.
Then, he smiled.
"So we will cut them down."
A dangerous silence followed. The kind that preceded either bloodshed or loyalty.
Then, Raiden grinned. "Finally. A fight worth having." His knuckles cracked as if eager for battle, his war-hungry spirit already ablaze.
Elara leaned back in her chair, a slow smirk curving her lips. "You always did have a way with words, Zayn." But there was no sarcasm in her tone—only intrigue, and perhaps, a spark of something dangerous.
Varian studied him for a long moment before chuckling softly, the flick of his dagger barely noticeable as he spun it between his fingers. "I have to admit… this is getting interesting."
Zayn exhaled. The first council had been formed. The first steps had been taken.
The world was not ready for what came next.
But it would learn.
Because the storm had begun.