Chapter 548
Vellok said nothing.
Behind him, a portal shimmered into existence, its swirling energy whispering of far-off places and sealed intentions. He stepped toward it with a calm that bordered on eerie.
"I understand your worries. But this is no time for hesitation." He vanished into the portal as it closed with a hollow pulse of magic.
The Emperor was left alone in the vast chamber, the flickering torches casting long shadows against the walls. Silence returned.
Then, from under his hood, a faint blue light blinked in his eye—a magical interface only he could see. In quiet pulsing digits, it read:
[Stability: 87%]
And even as he watched, the number flickered, dipped for the briefest moment—a sign of decline.
The Emperor’s hands, hidden beneath the robe, slowly clenched.
87% was still high... but the trajectory was clear. Things were unraveling. The people were no longer unified. Doubts were spreading. Loyalties were shifting.
Just like that, the final fragment of doubt in the Emperor’s heart vanished. Something had to be done now.
Rattan had grown used to the stillness of his room.