Candence's eyes were vacant, staring forward as though he were looking at nothing in particular.
Jena, Mira, and Crescendo had only just arrived moments ago and had recounted everything that had occurred in the forest. His shock had risen steadily as they reported the events one by one. But when they reached the end…
Candence forgot every single thing they had said. He ignored the fact that they had been ambushed by the Vampyros race. He ignored the fact that Atticus had easily defeated three veteran Vampyros grandmaster+ ranks.
Only one thought remained in his mind: Atticus had killed three Vampyros grandmasters.
No matter how much Candence's mind raced, no matter how many angles he tried to consider, he kept reaching the same conclusion, they were screwed.
The Vampyros were a race that thrived on battle. They loved the thrill of it and would never pass up an opportunity to unleash chaos.
Yes, the Vampyros had attacked first. Yes, they had killed their scouts first. But they held the upper hand in this situation. They didn't mind war, while the humans did. And now, Atticus had just given them the fuel they needed.
Candence's thoughts spiraled. The room around him became a blur. The implications of Atticus's actions echoed relentlessly in his mind.
"Fortress Master," a voice called out, faint and distant in his ears.
He barely registered it.
"Fortress Master!"
The voice was louder now, insistent, but Candence remained trapped in his thoughts.
He wasn't alone. The fortress commanders, along with Lyric, the three scouts who had accompanied Atticus, and many other warriors, were all present, discussing the current situation.
The noise of the hall reached Candence's ears, frantic debates, overlapping voices. It was chaos.
A firm hand suddenly tapped his arm, jolting him upright.
Candence flinched. "W-what?" His gaze darted around the hall.
The room fell silent, all eyes on him. Commanders, advisors, warriors, all were waiting for their leader to speak.
The fortress commander who had tapped Candence suddenly spoke. "Fortress Master, what is our plan of action?"
Candence took a second to catch his breath before swallowing hard, trying to mask his unease. He straightened himself and cleared his throat. "Vyn," he said, scanning the room. "What do you think?"
But Vyn was nowhere to be seen.
A commander quickly interjected, "He stepped out not long ago, Fortress Master."
Candence's eyes narrowed, irritation flaring. "Why would he leave at a time like this?" he demanded.
Just as Candence was about to order someone to fetch him, the doors creaked open. Vyn entered, and the room stilled.
Candence's gaze snapped to him. "Where have you been?"
Vyn's aged face was filled with worry. His voice was grave. "I went to receive a scout." He paused. "I sent one the moment I heard the news. And I'm afraid I only bring more bad news."
The tension in the hall thickened.
Vyn turned to the door. "Enter."
A scout stepped inside, his face pale and bloodied. He dropped to his knees, his voice trembling. "Apex Atticus is in battle with an army of Vampyros. He's holding his own… but he's losing ground. He needs help. Desperately."
Silence.
Then the hall erupted into chatter. Voices overlapped, arguments flared, and questions flew.
"Fortress Master! What do we do?"
Candence froze, his chest tightening. This decision… this moment… would decide the fate of humanity.
They could still feign ignorance, claiming that Atticus had acted on his own. But if they intervened, it would mean war, a war humanity couldn't afford. Yet, if they didn't… if they abandoned Atticus, their apex, their symbol of hope, they would be branded as cowards. As traitors.
Candence's mind went blank. 'I can't do this. I can't make this call.' It was too much for him.
The only thing Candence could think of was informing the elders of the Resonara family, but the thought terrified him. The Resonara family was filled with spiteful individuals. They would search for someone to blame, and that someone could only be him. How could the apex of humanity ever be at fault?
It was an option he did not want to explore unless they had absolutely no choice.
Just as everyone waited for Candence to speak, Vyn's voice suddenly rang out.
"Enough."
The hall fell silent. All eyes turned to the aged man.
"Atticus Ravenstein is not just anyone. He is humanity's apex. The hope of our domain. A symbol of our strength."
"Yes, the Vampyros attacked first. Yes, this situation is dire. But what will the world say if we stand idly by? If we let him fall?" Vyn's gaze sharpened, his tone cutting. "We will not be called cowards. No. We will be remembered as traitors. Traitors to our own kind."
"Apex Atticus represents us all, every fortress, every soldier, every family. And now, he needs us. We cannot abandon him. Not now. Not ever."
The hall fell silent again, the weight of his words thick in the air.
One by one, the gazes of the commanders hardened. Hands clenched. Teeth gritted.
Vyn was right. Atticus was their hope, and abandoning him was not an option.
The fortress commanders' gazes turned icy, and the atmosphere in the hall grew heavy.
"He's right," one of the commanders said.
Another soon followed. "We can't abandon him."
Candence exhaled shakily, as if gathering his confidence. Vyn's words had struck a nerve. He felt ashamed of himself, ashamed that he had even considered cowering. He nodded firmly.
"Prepare the fortress. We're joining the fight."
The room erupted into action. Chairs scraped. Orders were shouted. The hall transformed into a hive of activity as everyone moved to make preparations.
Vyn stepped back, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
'Just as planned.'
As the room emptied, only Candence, Vyn, and Lyric remained.
"Dad… shouldn't we inform the family?"
Lyric had been listening quietly throughout the hall, and the thought of Atticus, his hero, being in trouble frightened him to the core. It seemed strange to him. Wouldn't the best course of action be to inform someone from the Resonara family and let them take charge?
Vyn's gaze turned sharp.
"This situation is too dire to wait for reinforcements. That would only worsen it," Vyn said, his voice firm. "If the higher-ups send someone over, the Vampyros will be forced to do the same. We might still have a chance to resolve this without escalating it into an all-out war."