THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR

The silence in the room stretched long after David's words had settled into the air, heavy with implications none of them had expected. Salomonis, his golden eyes narrowed slightly, leaned forward in his chair, fingers steepled together as he gazed at David. His usually calm demeanor was shaken, the weight of the revelation clashing with the shrewdness that defined him.

He opened his mouth, but paused, seemingly struggling to find the right words. Finally, his voice broke the quiet, soft yet laden with genuine curiosity. "David," he began, his tone taking on a reflective quality. "Tell me, were you... contacted by a higher power? Some sovereign, or perhaps a force greater than yourself, to be a hero of sorts? Or do you feel compelled to bear this burden on your own?"

David met his gaze, unwavering. He shook his head, the subtle motion quick but resolute, as if the question had never truly crossed his mind. "No," he answered firmly, his voice steady. "I'm no hero. I wasn't chosen by any god or force. I don't carry some divine mandate to save this world."

The words hung in the air between them, but David pressed on, his expression hardened with determination. "I have people in Ternion, people I care about. People who depend on me. I'm doing this not because I'm a hero or because I was called to be one, but because I refuse to let them suffer. I refuse to let this world fall."

Salomonis blinked, a fleeting look of admiration crossing his face before his usual mask returned. He leaned back in his chair, eyes now soft with something akin to resignation. "I see," he murmured, though the words felt far heavier than they had any right to be. "The burden of others, then."

Before Salomonis could speak again, Elara's voice broke through the tension. She had been watching David intently, her fiery crimson gaze assessing his every word, every nuance. Slowly, she let a smile spread across her lips—small but genuine, a flicker of something soft in her usually fierce demeanor.

She stood up with a sudden grace, the movement fluid as she crossed the room to her desk. The fire that often blazed in her eyes dimmed, replaced with something quieter, but no less intense. She seated herself behind the desk once more, her posture elegant as she leaned forward, elbows resting lightly on the wood.

"I like your answer, David," she said, her tone surprisingly warm, though her sharp edges remained. "I, too, have people I want to protect. And I trust you. So, I'll cooperate. We're not so different, you and I. My reasons may not be the same, but I understand what it's like to fight for those you care about."

She paused, her gaze lingering on him, and for a brief moment, the fire of her earlier fury seemed to have vanished completely.

"Consider me an ally in this," Elara added, her voice steady but filled with unspoken understanding. "I'll follow your lead, David. We'll get it done—together."

Salomonis sighed, the sound deep and almost weary, as if the weight of the world were resting on his shoulders alone. His golden eyes, which had once been so calculating, now seemed tired, almost as if the relentless nature of this conversation had worn him thin.

He let out a short, dry chuckle, shaking his head lightly. "Sometimes I wonder, David... are you truly human?" The question, while rhetorical, carried an underlying hint of something like disbelief, as if Salomonis had already heard too many stories of men burdened beyond their capacity, but this one felt different. "To bear such a weight at your age... It seems almost inhuman, doesn't it?" Continue reading at empireNôv(el)B\\jnn

David met his gaze, the truth of his words unwavering. "I try," he said quietly, but with an intensity that betrayed no weakness. "I'm doing the best I can. But this... this is what I've chosen. And I won't back down. No matter what."

There was a long pause, the weight of the room settling around them, as both Elara and Salomonis absorbed the finality of his words. Elara's smile softened, her trust in him now deeper than before. Salomonis, too, seemed to understand, his stoic expression softening as the realization hit him that David wasn't driven by some lofty ideal of heroism, but by a far more personal, and perhaps more powerful, force.

The air felt charged now—an unspoken bond forming between them, as the weight of their shared understanding grounded them.

David stood tall, the weight of the moment not lost on him. The room had shifted, the conversation now taking a more serious turn. He could feel the eyes of both Elara and Salomonis on him as he prepared to share the next phase of his plan.

"I've decided to relocate the Archon to Valemir County," David said, his voice steady. " A safer location for her while we continue to work in the shadows."

Salomonis gave him a sharp, calculating look, but David wasn't finished. "I'll leave Luna behind to help you retrieve the Codex of the Sea," he continued. "But to make sure everything goes smoothly, I'll need a little extra assurance."

Salomonis raised a brow, intrigued. "What kind of assurance?"

"I need the Iris of Solomon," David said simply.

Elara opened her mouth to protest, but Salomonis raised a hand to silence her. His eyes remained locked on David, his voice steady as he spoke. "I know what you're asking, David. And I'm willing to part with it. For the sake of my beliefs... and for you. I trust you."

David's breath caught in his throat. He had known it wouldn't be easy to convince Salomonis, but hearing those words made the gravity of the moment all the more real. This was the hardest part of the plan—the part he feared would break them apart.

With a slow exhale, Salomonis stood, reaching into the folds of his cloak. He produced the Iris of Solomon, the orb gleaming with a metallic sheen as he handed it to David. David felt its weight and coldness, the power of the relic undeniable. He placed it behind his back, opening a small portal to his subspace, the orb slipping into the dimensional pocket just before the portal closed.

Elara's eyes narrowed, but before she could speak again, David turned to her. "Excuse me, I must be going. I'll reveal the rest of the plan once I've polished it."

Elara waved him off, a small, knowing smile on her lips. "No need for formalities, David. We're partners now." She clenched her fist, smoke curling from her fingers, her expression fierce. "I can't wait to rip that Demon's head apart."

David smiled at her enthusiasm, bowing respectfully before turning to leave the office. As the door closed behind him, Salomonis looked to Elara, his gaze thoughtful. "What do you think of him?" he asked, his voice quiet but probing.

Elara paused, her lips curling into a smirk. "He's crazy," she admitted, her eyes glinting with a dangerous light. "But that's what makes me like him."

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A/N: I change the Eye of Solomon to Iris of Solomon.