The One Who Came (ON HOLD)

Chapter 56

Today marked a crucial moment for the Council, a day where decisions hung in the balance, waiting to be unveiled in a room filled with anticipation. Ivan and Karter, among the council members, took their seats, eager to hear the proclamation Raine was about to make. The air was thick with tension as Raine entered the hall, accompanied by Sana, carrying a stack of documents. The room fell into a hushed silence.

"Thank you all for being here once again. It's an honor to collaborate with each one of you, and I'm pleased to announce that the Council has reached its decision. But first, let's hear from Sana about the findings from the archive search regarding Cruxius and his motives." Raine declared, prompting Sana to rise and address the gathering.

"Greetings, honorable Council members and guests. These are the findings that have resulted from the intensive investigation conducted by our confidants. No records of a man named Cruxius exist in our archives. No complaints or incident reports relate to 'Uriel' or 'Cruxius.' However, I'd like to shed light on the reason behind this absence," Sana announced, capturing the attention of everyone in the room. Her reputation as one of the Council's most intelligent minds added weight to her words.

"Remember, this is all speculation and not fact. Considering Cruxius's boldness and meticulous preparation, it's likely he's been planning for a significant period, perhaps 10-15 years. Analyzing his statements from yesterday's conference, it appears he sought help from the Council, which went unanswered," she continued. Some long-serving members of the council bowed their heads in remorse. Unwavering, Sana pressed on.

"Recall the political turmoil in the Council two decades ago when Bane Regal, the former president, was exposed for embezzling resources and aiding criminal packs. This event led to our current council head taking charge. It's plausible that Cruxius sought the Council's aid during that tumultuous period and was disregarded," she explained. Heads nodded in understanding.

The massive rift caused by Bane Regal's actions was like a bomb going off in the heart of the Council's history—it was a total disaster. Bane Regal had shown leniency and allowed rogue troublemakers and criminal gangs to run wild, causing chaos everywhere. However, with a leap of faith, Raine Faux led a secret rebellion, causing Regal's fall from grace.

Bane Regal had directed criminals to go after the richer packs and had stolen money meant for fixing things up after all the chaos they ensued on weaker and stronger packs. Survivors of these attacks weren't just left to pick up the pieces of what remained after the attacks; they were threatened and tortured into silence. The task of repairing the council's reputation was both lengthy and complex. As a result, the immediate concerns expressed in smaller requests were unfortunately deprioritized in favor of the overarching goal of restoring the Council's credibility.

Consider the frustration of those forgotten requests. Lingering annoyance and disappointment hung in the air, highlighting that the council's efforts to set things right weren't fooling anyone. In the aftermath of Bane's chaos, the Council not only had to repair their reputation but also address the lasting resentment from all those overlooked pleas for help amid the turmoil.

"Considering Cruxius's evident animosity towards rogues, it's possible he sought help from the Council during a time when rogue attacks were more rampant and brutal, about 20 years ago," Sana concluded, connecting the dots that hinted at a long-brewing conflict within the Council's history. "We can also concur that he tried to especially focus his attacks on the Council, and given our history, he'll succeed in creating, better yet expanding, the rift that already exists between the packs and the Council. That seems to be his goal." She concluded, bowed, and gracefully sat down, and Raine took over.

"As you have heard, the Council has not been very helpful to the packs as of late, and it will create problems if we now try to ask for help from the packs. Therefore, as the Council president, I propose that the Council appoint Alpha Ivan and his mate Karter to take the lead in convincing the packs that have not picked a side yet."