Marcus's point of view

The high ceilings and the polished stone walls did little to alleviate the weight that bore down upon me within the council room. The space was lighted up by the spot lights, casting bright reflections across the faces of the elders that sat around the large wood table.

My hands rested on the edge of the table as I stood at the head of the room. My words cut through the thick silence like a razor.

I looked into each elder's eyes, one by one, and said, "There's no more excuses. There was more than a single violent act involved with the rogue attack on this...