A silence drifted between Tucker and Ray as they walked down the stone corridors of the Order. The soft thud of their boots reverberated against the walls. Since their return, they had spent hours in the lobby ironing out the last details of their discovery. There was no telling if their proposal was enough.

  But now wasn’t the time for hesitation.

  Tucker had already gone through the process of requesting an audience with Dale. Now it just depended on whether they could convince the Head Administrator of the dangers awaiting their nation. It was the only way for them to change their fate.

  “Halt.” The voice came from the Head Administrator’s personal guard, a man wearing dragon-scaled armor as black as obsidian. He held onto his spear with a dark green banner of the Order tied to the end.

  His eyes met theirs before drifting to his comrade on the other end of the grand steel doors. The area they were told to go to wasn’t like the office Tucker had gone to before. Instead, it was held in a chamber that was heavily guarded by a dozen dragon-scale knights.

  None of them moved, their verdant capes draping over their shoulders as if to hide a sorrow in their hearts. The black iron spears in their hands radiated with the warmth of dying embers, fading as the runic letters hummed for a moment before dissipating.

  “Only one of you may enter,” the knight declared, staring at Tucker. “And to do so, you must hand over your blade.”

  Ray immediately frowned, gritting his teeth while stepping forward, but Tucker raised his hand and glanced over his shoulder.

  “Leave it,” Tucker said, removing his lumenite blade from his belt. He held it towards Ray. “Keep it safe for me while I speak to the Administrators.”

  As Ray accepted the sword, he leaned forward and whispered. “I don’t like this, Tucker. Since when did they only allow one of us to meet them?”

  Tucker didn’t say a word. Ray was right; it felt odd compared to all the other times he had met the Head Administrator. But right now, they didn’t have the luxury of arguing with the guards. He would take any meeting that allowed him to speak directly with Dale.

  The dragon-scale knight nodded before raising his hand. A green aura enveloped it, and with a simple tap on the steel door, a powerful burst of energy rippled outwards. It traveled along the surface as a loud thud echoed through the halls until it could no longer be heard.

  Moments later, the doors slowly creaked open with a low groan. Ancient hinges gave way to the chamber within, revealing a vast open space with stone tables lining the outer perimeter in a crescent. Banners hung above the Administrators seated in their respective areas with sigils faintly appearing beneath the glow of dim magic lanterns.

  One by one, their gazes found him. Not with warmth or curiosity, but with a looming scorn that pressed into his chest. Some stared with contempt, not bothering to hide their hostility, as if his very presence alone offended them. Others regarded him with narrow eyes and rigid postures, the kind reserved for criminals and traitors.

  Yet despite all this, Tucker stepped forward.

  He approached the man with a large scar running down his eye and across his forehead. The very man standing at the head of the chamber. Dale Eternus, the Head Administrator of the Order.

  The man who, unlike the others, didn’t glare, scowl, or avert his gaze. His expression was calm but carried a weight unlike anything Tucker had seen before. While the other Administrators were looking at Tucker to measure how quickly they could get rid of him, Dale looked as though he was already listening.

  Even before a word had been spoken, Tucker knew that the current situation was far from ideal. All the other leaders of the Order were hidden in the shadows, with Dale being the only one beneath the fracturing light. Tucker met his eyes for a brief moment, shouldering the burden that fell onto his shoulders.

  The hostility in the room didn’t fade, and perhaps never would, but it no longer felt like the world was against him. Dale’s presence alone cut through the distant gazes that fell on him.

  His stern gaze met Tucker’s. “What news have you brought us?”

  Tucker kept his head up high. “The Emerald Tower has created a new weapon. One that could wipe out cities with the snap of a finger.”

  A burst of murmurs erupted from the Administrators as they discussed the matter with each other. Yet, the reaction wasn’t what Tucker expected. It wasn’t at the sudden news being delivered but at his credibility. That was when he realized that none of them believed him.

  “And what do you want us to do?” The Administrator sitting beneath the banner with a tortoise asked. “Surely you don’t expect us to move without presenting some sort of evidence.”

  Tucker slowly clenched his fists as his leather gloves tightened around his knuckles. Bitterness filled his heart. They didn’t have enough proof, and the reports they had stolen only said so much. But it was better than nothing.

  “We’ve uncovered reports from one branch belonging to the Emerald Tower,” Tucker said in a firm tone. “They had disruption arrays set up so we couldn’t record the events with a memory orb, but this information alone should at least warrant some sort of action.”

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Dale slowly exhaled and gestured at Tucker to come closer. He watched as the watchman reached into his leather pouch and pulled out the documents they had compiled beforehand. The pages rustled against each other as Dale seized them.

  His eyes scanned the pages, and a slow exhale escaped his nostrils. He stared at Tucker. “One of three locations, and you believe it is near the dwarven realms?”

  “That’s correct,” Tucker replied. “If we assemble a few hundred watchmen—”

  “A few hundred?” The Administrator from before broke out into laughter that rolled through the chamber until Dale raised his hand.

  “That’s enough, Cartwright.” Dale glared at the branch leader of the Northern realms. “Do not forget that he is still one of our own, someone who risked his life to get this information.”

  Tucker stood there in silence after he heard the surname. Even without seeing the man clearly through the shadows, he knew exactly who it was. The branch leader of the Northern realms, Jonathan Cartwright. A tall, light-skinned man who led countless operations against the demonic monsters of the north.

  “One of our own?” Jonathan snickered, with each word seething through his teeth. “That’s a difficult claim to swallow, considering he was the first to receive a scarlet seal for treason.”

  The other Administrators remained silent.

  “It wasn’t treason,” Dale corrected.

  Jonathan leaned forward toward the light, revealing his black hair pulled back and furious crimson eyes. His fist slammed against the stone table with a force powerful enough to split it in one strike. “He raised his blade against his superior! If that isn’t treason, then I don’t know what is.”

  “The fact that he is still standing in front of us means he hasn’t been branded a traitor,” a calm voice interjected. “You should know this, Northern Branch Leader.”

  The speaker sat beneath the sigil of a wolf howling within a vortex of wind.

  “Michael…” Jonathan leaned back in his chair. “Is that really something you should say, considering how you’re the one most familiar with the situation?”

  “I never said I liked him. I’m only stating the facts,” Michael responded. “Besides, I don’t ever recall us being close enough for you to use my first name.”

  Tucker met the azure eyes of the Southern Branch Leader. He could roughly see the strands of white hair hidden in the shadows, but from the outline of his silhouette—it was clear he wasn’t an ally.

  “This entire claim hinges on your word,” Michael said in a sharp and precise voice. He tapped his pale index finger against the table. “You don’t have any proof, just some pages and another voice from a man known for insubordination.”

  “Not only that, you expect us to mobilize several hundred watchmen?” Jonathan scoffed in disbelief. “You were barely cleared for independent operations after Stafford. And now you’re asking for authority far beyond your reach.”

  “With respect, sir,” Tucker said. “I’m not asking to lead the operation. Anyone you find fit can lead the operation. I’m only asking that one gets held.”

  He felt the weight of their eyes pressing down on him. Every muscle in his body grew tense as he fought back the urge to respond too quickly.

  “Fine, let’s say we go after the Emerald Tower,” Jonathan said while rolling his eyes. “How do you suppose our men will return? The one you suspect that holds the artifact is in an area that is just out of our reach. The teleportation devices we’ve installed in secret can’t move an army and require time to recharge.”

  "Right, but if we figure out how many watchmen are taking part, then we can arrange the proper accommodations."

  "From. Where?" Jonathan asked.

  Tucker didn’t say a word.

  “See? This is why I was against his return to active duty. I don’t even know why we gave him the luxury of a meeting.” Jonathan scoffed and slowly shook his head. “You’re not Salamander. You don’t carry his reputation. You don’t carry his authority. And you most certainly don’t carry enough credibility to demand an operation with no return.”

  Tucker stared at the Northern Branch Leader with eyes harboring a sharp realization. None of them had allowed this meeting to be convinced. Only to confirm their doubts.

  The chamber fell silent after that. It was suffocating, to the point where most wouldn’t even want to be there. But Tucker couldn’t leave. He raised his head, meeting their cold gazes one by one.

  “You’re right,” he said quietly. “I’m not Salamander. I don’t have his name, his records, or his victories.”

  He slowly unclenched his hands as a hint of determination rose. “But I was in that tower, and I know what I saw. They had uncovered a weapon of mass destruction, and if I’m wrong, then the cost is embarrassment.”

  Tucker stood his ground. “If I’m right, then we lose everything.”

  Several Administrators exchanged uneasy glances with each other.

  But only Dale moved.

  He leaned forward ever so slightly with his eyes never leaving Tucker. “Then let me ask you the question that actually matters.” Dale’s gaze hardened. “Let’s say we gather several hundred watchmen like you said, and it turns out to be for nothing. That means they would be stranded with no escape. Can you, in good conscience, still send these men to their deaths?

  “There would still be the teleportation device in the tower,” Tucker pointed out. “If our men capture the tower, then they could escape through there and back to our retreat point.”

  “That’s assuming there is one and resistance is minimal,” Dale countered. “Which brings me back to my question: can you in good conscience still send these men to their deaths, knowing that it could be for nothing?”

  The answer was no.

  Tucker shook his head. He knew in the chamber's darkness that it would be difficult to convince them. But he wanted to believe that if he brought the news to the Administrators, they would take some sort of action or devise a plan to at least confirm his findings. However, the moment he walked in, it was like they had already made up their minds to dismiss him.

  Dale took a deep breath while holding his hands behind him. Finally, he said, “Even if Salamander were here. This request would be far too difficult to accomplish.”

  He looked at the other Administrators. “Right now, our forces are scattered behind enemy lines. Targeting logistics for the Empire’s forces. We’ve destroyed supply lines, assassinated key officers in the Empire’s chain of command, and taken out the facilities manufacturing their anti-personnel golems.”

  Dale turned to Tucker. “Even if I wanted to believe you, Stormbearer. I can’t put the lives of my men at stake on a belief. We’re already stretched thin as it is. I’ll consider your findings, but if that is all, you are dismissed.”

  Tucker clenched his jaw, trying his best to conceal his frustration. With no other choice, he brought his hand to his temple and gave a sharp salute as he brought it down. “Understood, sir.”

  He turned around and headed for the exit. Each footstep filled his heart with a heaviness he had never experienced before. From the start, the other Administrators didn’t intend to listen to him. Only Dale was on his side, and if it was proof they wanted. Then it would be proof that they would get.

  Well... now we see how it really is for Tucker without Alex.

  As you could guess, most of the other Administrators don't like him.

  Believe it or not, it falls in line with the general view that things were more exposed.

  Now, what will our MC do?

  Progression, as they say. I'm also increasing the word count a far bit too.

  Thanks for reading, and I'll see ya in the next one!

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