Amidst the bustling fortress that the Aegis ship had just passed over, a multitude of individuals were seated at a large mahogany table, engaged in a serious meeting inside the highest point of the fortress castle.
An eyebrow was furrowed, followed by a succinct, commanding voice, "They what?"
The temperature in the area seemed to increase to staggering levels, and despite the strength of those in attendance, many couldn't help but gulp, signs of perspiration appearing on their foreheads.
Every single one of the individuals gathered had the same snow-white hair crowning their heads, but each with different styles. The man who had just been questioned struggled to respond, unable to meet the intense blue eyes of the man seated at the head of the table.
Luckily for him, another man came to his rescue.
"Pardon me, Lord Avalon, but what he said was the truth. The Nebulon family has also joined forces with the others. We're not sure why, but there have been signs of outright hostilities toward Ravenstein family members in their cities."
"Any deaths?"
The man bowed and respectfully answered, "A few."
The air became scorching in an instant, white smoke emanating from Avalon's figure seated at the head of the table.
The other men and women in attendance shifted uncomfortably in their seats, their bodies drenched in sweat. The metal items in the room seemed to expand in response to the intense heat, wisps of whitish smoke emanating from the skins of many.
Despite the discomfort, no one dared to complain or even try to leave. Everyone sat quietly, except for one man.
"Avalon, I get you're angry, but roasting your family members is not the solution."
A man impeccably dressed in a neatly tailored suit turned towards Avalon and spoke, a chuckle escaping his lips.
He was seated just beside Avalon, and despite his close proximity, there was not a single drop of sweat on his body. It was none other than Sirius, Orion's father and the head of the Raven Vanguard.
Avalon released a deep breath, the temperature in the room returning to normal. He turned, his intense gaze meeting Sirius's.
"Retaliate, make it public and as brutal as possible. If they want war, let them come."
Each word was spoken calmly, but everyone in the room knew well enough that he was far from joking.
Sirius nodded. "I already sent word. But I believe it's best we return to our sector as soon as possible. Lyanna can only hold down the fort for so long. The two of us can't be absent for long, considering the dire times."
Avalon pondered for a moment. He truly wanted nothing more than to storm the Nebulon cities and unleash a massacre, but he was smart enough to know that more was at play here.
It had already been a few years since Ariel had died, and although Avalon hadn't stopped searching for his killer, he looked better than before.
Ariel's death had been intensely hard on Avalon, causing him to focus solely on finding his killer for a few years. However, after the attack on the Raven camp by the same bastard who had killed Ariel, it served as a wake-up call. He had almost lost his son.
He blamed himself for that incident too; perhaps if he hadn't been so distracted, deploying the family resources elsewhere, he might have caught on to the attack.
After that incident, Avalon decided to get a grip on his life. He would have his revenge no matter what, but he wouldn't allow it to prevent him from living his life.
He and Sirius had arrived at the border the previous night and had just come for the meeting.
'Are they banding together to dampen our family's momentum or because of Atticus's actions?' Avalon pondered.
However, just as he was about to agree to Sirius's suggestion, the door to the room abruptly opened, and a woman dressed in whitish armor entered and moved with her head bowed towards a man seated across from Sirius.
This man was also clad in whitish armor, but sleeveless. His arms were bare, fully showcasing their steel-like muscles. His head was completely bald, and he had no beard, but his long white mustache gave him an air of stern wisdom. This man was the head and captain of the border, Doran Ravenstein.
The woman whispered in his ear quickly and left the room as swiftly as she had come.
Doran swiftly turned and relayed the news to Avalon, "The Aegis airship has just crossed the border."
Avalon and Sirius's gazes narrowed in unison, their shock evident. Only three people had the power to deploy that airship, and two of them were currently in the room, which left only one person.
Magnus!
The gazes of many in the room widened, each of them visibly tense. Their paragon was here?
However, Avalon reacted differently, a smile suddenly appearing on his face. He knew that Magnus was getting his boy out of the academy but had no idea where they were going. If his father was here, didn't that mean…
Avalon abruptly stood up from his seat, his excitement palpable. Sirius seemed to come to the same conclusion, a small smile appearing on his face as he saw Avalon's excited expression.
The others in the room wore confused expressions, wondering just how the mood in the room had suddenly changed.
But Avalon had no intention of explaining the situation. "The Nebulon family is to be added to our blacklist. I give you full authority to retaliate when attacked but not before that. Remember, this is their sector. More warriors will be stationed here just in case any fight happens. I want a full report of the fortress's status every hour, not a second late.
This meeting is adjourned."
With those words, Avalon turned and walked out of the room with Sirius directly behind him.
"You should calm down a bit; anyone would think you're marching into battle," Sirius teased.
Avalon, who had been rapidly walking down the hallway, suddenly stopped, awkwardly clearing his throat.
"Was my excitement that obvious?" Avalon turned towards Sirius and asked.
Sirius chuckled, wrapping his arm around Avalon's shoulder, "Old friend, it was radiating off you like heat from a forge. Lighten up!"
Avalon cleared his throat once more but didn't stop his steps. He reached outside and immediately boarded an airship along with Sirius.