"Locate the rest and kill them."
"Yes, Lord Avalon."
The atmosphere in the Ravenstein main control room was cold.
Across sector 3, many people still hadn't grasped the full significance of what the Ravensteins had just done. Instead, they focused on something else—the message the Ravensteins were trying to send.
It was a warning. One that the other tiered families in sector 3 received loud and clear. There was no mercy for traitors.
However, the people in the control room, along with a select few, knew exactly what had just transpired.
The Ravensteins had annihilated the entire Vermore family, erasing their estate from existence. This wasn't limited to their warriors and armies but included every single person who carried the Vermore bloodline.
Every woman, every child, every youth. Dead.
Of course, not all the Vermores had been in their estate or even in Dusktown, but Avalon was determined to make sure the remaining members were hunted down.
Heavy bounties were placed on each of their heads, spanning the entire human domain. Half of the underground world was already on the lookout.
Even the Vermore family members in the military couldn't escape. They were part of the Ravenstein military faction, making it easier to hunt them down.
The Ravensteins had wiped out their entire family, leaving the surviving members a cause for vengeance. The worst thing they could do was leave the obvious problem to grow and become a threat, even a small one, in the future.
Unfortunately, even tier one families couldn't kill within the academy, meaning the Vermore youths there were the only remaining members of the family. But that wouldn't last long.
It was brutal—ending the lives of an entire family, even the members who likely knew nothing of their kin's sins—but this was the harsh reality of the world. One wrong move, and an entire lineage could be obliterated.
The worried look on Anastasia's face had disappeared, replaced by a cold expression. She might seem like an overprotective mother to Atticus, but everyone in the room knew her cold blooded nature.
Avalon shifted his gaze away from the screen showing Sirius and focused on Lyanna's devastation.
"What a waste of time and resources. Is this all they had planned?"
One of the elders of the Ravenstein family suddenly spoke. His face was marred by wrinkles, and he gave off the vibe of a cynical grandfather.
To him, the Alverians declaring war and the Vermore family's betrayal were a complete waste of time.
The other elders felt the same way. For them to have lived as long as they had, they'd been through countless battles and wars and survived. Their experience was unmatched, and not much could faze them. To them, this matter was trivial.
"It seems the people's fear of us has dwindled significantly. Otherwise, this wouldn't have happened in the first place," another elder added.
Avalon sighed subtly. He truly hated when the elders gathered in one place, especially when he was there.
Old men were a pain to deal with—always so cynical, always complaining about everything!
Anastasia noticed Avalon's expression and stifled a chuckle. She responded instead.
"Elders, I understand how you feel. But you're all here because of Lyanna's concerns. Considering the situation, how about we inform her of your thoughts?"
Several elders immediately cleared their throats audibly, their expressions shifting. Tell Lyanna? That witch? No way!
"Ahem, it's fine, you don't have to do that. Protecting the family is a sacred duty," one of the elders quickly spoke up.
"Ah, are you sure, elders? I'm sure Lyanna could be... considerate."
All Anastasia got was a firm "no." Turning back, she found a large grin on Avalon's face.
"How cruel of you to use Lyanna," Avalon whispered, causing Anastasia to shrug her shoulders. "They left me with no choice."
The slight tension in the control room soon eased as many elders, along with Avalon and Anastasia, started discussing random matters. The Alverians had been taken care of, and so had the Vermore.
However, this peaceful moment didn't last long. The room, once bathed in blue light, suddenly turned red, followed by blaring alarms that echoed throughout the control room.
"What happened?"
Avalon's gaze snapped toward the main screen showing a bird's-eye view of the entire sector. His gaze narrowed as he saw a staggering number of red dots converging in one place on the map.
"E-enemies, Lord Avalon! A lot of them inside the sector!"
"Who dares?"
An intense wave of killing intent radiated from the elders, engulfing the entire room. The operators in charge began to sweat profusely, their bodies trembling under the weight of the pressure.
"It's the Stellaris!"
The large screen suddenly shifted, displaying an armada of orange airships moving through the air.
Etched on each side of the airships was an insignia that everyone in the control room knew all too well: an orange man holding a sun with one arm.
Avalon's expression darkened. He wasn't focused on the sheer numbers of the army but instead their location!
"They've surrounded the estate!"
Avalon's gaze turned icy. The Stellaris had appeared out of nowhere, right in the heart of their sector!
He didn't bother wasting time trying to figure out how they had managed to do it. Instead, his gaze met the other elders, each of their expressions equally cold.
No one needed to say anything. Avalon turned toward Anastasia and gave her a reassuring nod. Without wasting time, Avalon and the elders strode out of the building.
As they reached the entrance, Avalon's gaze softened when he saw a blue-haired woman standing by the door.
The woman smiled warmly.
"Be careful. I'll stay here and help."
"Thanks, Mom."
The woman was none other than Freya Ravenstein, Avalon's mother and Magnus's only wife. Avalon had insisted she stay out of war matters and rest. But considering the current circumstances, it was best that she was here.
Freya gave Avalon a deep hug before walking into the building.
Avalon's expression instantly shifted, his killing intent flaring once more.
The Stellaris had dared to attack their home—he would make sure they paid the price for that.