Richmond's footsteps echoed through the long corridors of the hidden palace, his breath uneven and his chest tightening with urgency.
He burst through the steel doors of Rohzivaan's chamber without waiting for permission, startling the man who stood in silence before a large circular window, where a view of a mechanical garden spun slowly in simulated orbit.
Rohzivaan didn't turn immediately. He didn't need to. He already knew Richmond wouldn't have barged in unless something serious had happened.
"It's the Western Region," Richmond said, voice low but trembling. "They've been breached."
Rohzivaan slowly turned, his eyes unreadable yet visibly dimmer than they once were. The silence that followed was thick and heavy. Richmond stepped forward, activating the main holotable in the room. Light sparked to life, and a panoramic three-dimensional image of the Western Region unfolded before them.
