Chapter 809: 809

The Paragons, both Godlings and Humans would act as the safety rails. They would sit in the shadows, manipulating the tides of war to ensure that while the fires of conflict burned hot enough to forge better civilization, they never burned so bright that they consumed the world itself.

The other leaders remained silent, the wind’s message settling into their minds. They realized Zephyr wasn’t just suggesting a way to keep their thrones, he was proposing a secret world government where the highe ups played a game of chess with nations to ensure the survival and stable development of the species.

Ethan leaned forward, his fingers tapping the arm of his blood-red throne. For him, this plan was a lifeline. If the "Great Dispersion" occurred, the rival Vampire clans would be too busy to carve out their own territories to plot a coup against him.

"The strength lies in the distraction," Ethan murmured, his eyes glowing. "If I send my rivals out to "expand" their rule and power. Under the threat of human retaliation, they must focus on their own survival rather than my crown"

Ethan kept his expression unreadable, though his mind raced. The alliance is a shield I can hide behind, he thought. With the other Paragons as my backing, my throne becomes untouchable. Yet, a cold skepticism remained. If the invitation was open to every Paragon, even the other vampire clan heads, the alliance would lose it’s meaning to him. If every Paragon is a leader in this new world, then none of us truly are, he mused. He remained silent, however, waiting to gauge the room before committing his voice to the air.

Kael spoke, his voice brought a strange calm over everyone, his voice made all rapid thought seize and with it a quiteness of the mind "Zephyr plan has great merit to it and i could see the strength in it but some path are a bit unclear, you spoke of human powerhouses and not of the human kings and leaders which should be our sole focus"

His words commanded the room, addressing the silent question lingering in every mind. "What differentiates us from these other Paragons," he began, "is that we are truly leaders of our people. The survival and safety of our kin come first in every decision we make."

He paused, his expression hardening. "This is a weight only a true leader of men can understand. Today, the world is ruled by Paragons who sit upon thrones but hold no love for those beneath them. They claimed their power through raw force, simply because no one possessed the strength to stop them."

"These are not people I wish to stand beside in an alliance, nor are they ones I would trust with our long-term future." Having spoken his piece, he fell silent, letting the gravity of his statement settle over the council.

Wulv was quick to follow Kael’s lead. "To add to Kael’s point: even the established powers cannot be trusted. Take the Great Kingdom led by Erik, it is riddled with internal strife and teeters on the edge of collapse. For reasons unknown, Erik never ascended to become a Paragon. Without that power, he can no longer defend his land or himself."

"The Sun Kingdom, led by Edward, still stands tall. However, reports from Kael’s side suggest that something shadows his rule, something unknown is shifting in the background of that court."

"The Osita Kingdom was once among the few we could truly trust, but recent actions have drawn unwanted eyes toward them. It is now uncertain how much longer that kingdom can remain standing."

"Then there is the Omadi Kingdom, a land of great potential, yet led by a king whose ambition knows no bounds. He is ready to sacrifice anything to reach his goals. He never ascended to Paragon status himself, instead, that power is held by his sister and the champions he commands. The ultimate fate of that kingdom remains a mystery."

As Wulv continued, the expressions around the table grew increasingly grim. Even Zephyr, who was well aware of the flaws in his own plans, felt a heavy weight settling in his chest. He knew these facts individually, but hearing Wulv list them out so bluntly painted a devastatingly clear picture of how lttle their option was.

Wulv didn’t pause. "The Björn Kingdom has immense potential and is led by a capable Queen, but they are locked in a tense standoff with the Silver Kingdom. Another bloody war between them seems more like a certainty than a possibility at this point."

"Then we have the Empire in the southern continent," he continued, his voice dropping an octave. "Led by Emperor Chen. Because of his direct connections to Murmur, he cannot be trusted and he certainly cannot be involved in a plan of this magnitude."

He turned his gaze directly toward Zephyr. "The plan sounds grand in theory, but reality is looking grim. I stand with Kael, no Paragon should be invited into this circle simply because of the power they wield or the armies they command. If they aren’t true leaders of their people, who can envision the future as we do then they have nothing to offer us."

The entire pocket dimension fell into a heavy silence. Zephyr looked around the gathered circle, genuinely appreciative of the feedback from Wulv and Kael, both had always been remarkably insightful, grounding his grand visions in harsh reality.

Drowz rarely spoke, but when he did, his words tended to cut directly to the heart of the matter. Beside him, Raina remained seemingly aloof, a calm observer who knew that most issues would eventually resolve themselves. She only ever interfered when the tension threatened to boil over.

But the one Zephyr truly expected to hear from was Ethan, the Vampire King. Of everyone present, the King stood to benefit the most from the proposed plan, yet the cunning monarch sat in silence within his own domain space, his expression unreadable.

Seeing that no one else was ready to break the quiet, Zephyr finally spoke. "Kael, your words strike at a concern I have long considered. In this age, it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish a true leader from a mere Paragon with a crown."

"The two roles have become so blurred that Paragons now sit on thrones solely because of their raw power. But as Kael stated, we must make a clear distinction; we have to be precise about who we welcome into our inner circle."

Zephyr gestured toward a map of the realms that manifested before everyone. "Wulv has laid out every kingdom we once considered for this transracial alliance. As grim as it looks, none of them currently meet the standard required for such a pact. They are either too fragile, too ambitious, or too compromised."

"So I ask everyone here, what other options do we have? What methods can we use to tackle the growing stagnation and rising instability of the Godlings?" Having posed the question, Zephyr fell silent, his eyes scanning the room.

There was silence before Ethan, the Vampire King, let out a slow, measured sigh before speaking. "The vampire Godlings haven’t reached the stagnation you describe, but the instability is reaching a breaking point. Three new Paragons have emerged who threaten my rule. Kael’s insight and your response, Zephyr, have helped me see the true value of this plan. However, I would like to bring forth a factor that I think we would all rather ignore?"

"Zephyr’s plan is visionary, but given the current climate, it lacks a vital component, the inclusion of humanity. We need human leaders on the same side as us if we hope to avoid a racial war sparked by simple misunderstanding."

Ethan leaned forward, his voice dropping to a hesistant tone. "Therefore, I dare to suggest this. Among all the kingdoms Wulv listed, why don’t we select those whose visions might align with ours? We could ensure their rise as superpowers within their respective continents, helping them resolve their internal strife. In turn, we gain their loyalty and a promise to walk this path beside us."

A flash of that same mischievous look Zephyr had worn earlier flickered across his face, but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. He smoothed his expression into a neutral mask, his brow raised as if he were genuinely surprised and taken aback by Ethan’s proposal.

In that same moment, Zephyr’s eyes briefly met Kael’s and then Wulv’s. No words were exchanged, but a silent understanding passed between the three of them.

"Do you realize the weight of your words, Ethan? Do you truly understand what you are asking of this council?" Zephyr’s voice rang out, a resounding boom that seemed to vibrate the very walls of the pocket dimension.

Ethan’s brow furrowed. "Of course I do. But look around, we aren’t left with many options. Zephyr’s plan, no matter how flawed it may currently seem, remains the best chance we have to solve our collective problems."