Something shifted in the room. The panic that had been building was transforming into determined focus.
"Satou trusted us to hold things together in his absence," Seraphina continued. "He knew this wouldn't be easy. But he also knew we're capable of handling it. And when he returns—" Her voice carried absolute certainty. "—when he returns, I intend to make sure there's a settlement worth coming back to."
The speech resonated. Leaders who'd been feeling overwhelmed were now looking grimly determined.
"Dismissed," Seraphina said. "Everyone to your assignments. We reconvene at dawn for progress reports. Go."
The war room emptied quickly, commanders moving with renewed purpose despite the compressed timeline.
[Evening - The Northern Wall]
