In the heart of Valemir's political district, behind a glass-clad tower that looked more like a monument than an office, a discreet club called The Ember Circle catered only to the elite.
No advertisements. No signage.
Yet it was where deals were made, alliances formed, and—sometimes—empires fell without a whisper.
Tonight, Kip Mandari walked in like he owned the place.
He was wearing a charcoal grey suit with a lapel pin shaped like a lion's eye—an old symbol of dominance from Jefferson Global's earlier days. His steps were measured, his smile effortless. But behind his easy charm, the gears of war were spinning.
At a corner booth, Caden Lysell was waiting. Tall, silver-haired, ex-special ops with a scar that cut across his left eyebrow like a permanent warning label.
"You took your time," Caden said, not looking up from his drink.
"I don't rush," Kip replied smoothly. "Not when precision is the difference between a scandal and a takeover."
Caden finally looked up, eyes cold. "So why bring me in?"
Kip leaned forward, lowering his voice.
"Because it's time to make Chess Golding bleed. Quietly. Publicly. And permanently."
Caden smirked. "You sure you want to start a war with a ghost?"
"I'm not starting a war," Kip said. "I'm ending a dynasty."
Aeris Holdings – Strategic Ops Division
Hours later, across the city, Chess stood at the balcony of his 47th-floor office, overlooking Valemir's glittering skyline. He had just reviewed footage from Ember Circle. His team had bugged the place weeks ago.
Kip's meeting with Caden had confirmed everything.
And more importantly—it confirmed the timeline.
Kaito walked in silently. "We have audio."
Chess didn't respond immediately. He just stared out into the night.
"Kip's preparing to challenge not just me, but Elsa," he said. "He's playing for both thrones."
"Shall we move on him?" Kaito asked.
"No," Chess said, turning around. "Not yet. I want the world to see who he really is before we strike."
Kaito nodded, but hesitated. "And the seal? Elsa?"
Chess's eyes darkened. "I trust her to handle the power waking up inside her. But Kip's playing with fire."
"And fire," Kaito added, "can burn both kingdoms."
Elsewhere – Elsa in Navarre
The city of Navarre was quieter than Valemir. Built into a coastal ridge, it carried a sense of old-world mystique—winding alleys, sea-salted wind, and a temple ruin said to sit atop forgotten ley lines.
Elsa walked alone through the temple ruins now, following the pull inside her like a string tied to her bones.
She reached a stone archway, half-buried in moss and carved with markings identical to those in the scroll.
Her fingers grazed the edge.
Instantly, a pulse rippled through her body—warm, electric, and strangely comforting.
Behind her, a local historian named Dr. Avin Thorne, who had agreed to help her interpret the scrolls, stepped cautiously closer.
"You feel it too," he said. "That... frequency."
Elsa nodded, eyes fixed on the stone.
"It's not just history," she whispered. "It's a beacon."
Dr. Thorne swallowed. "Then whatever it's calling... is awake now."
Back in Valemir – Nightfall
Kip returned to his apartment, calm as ever.
Until he stepped inside and found a crimson envelope sitting on his desk.
There was no address. No stamp. Only a wax seal—a phoenix.
He froze.
Only one man used that sigil.
Chess Golding.
He opened it slowly.
"The next move is yours. Make it count.—C.G."
Kip's jaw tightened. The game had officially begun.
But he wasn't afraid.
He was excited.
Because now, the pieces would fall.
And the empire would either be reborn—or crushed to ashes.