Jayce Talis jolted awake to the deafening echo of chaos, the acrid scent of smoke filling his lungs as he blinked against the debris-strewn aftermath of the council building.

Dazed, he pushed himself up from the ground, wincing as sharp pain shot through his limbs. All around him lay the remnants of their once-sacred chamber, shattered walls and flickering lights casting an eerie glow. His heart sank as he spotted Mel Medarda, her face smeared with soot, trembling as she gripped the edge of a fallen table.

The sounds of muffled cries and distant groans filled the air, but the absence of several council members struck him hardest—they were simply gone, swallowed by the explosive violence that had ripped through their sanctuary, leaving an unsettling void that echoed the fragility of their power.