Word had already spread through the hidden Phenomenals community: The Umbra Collective's leader had been taken, and the once formidable Ebon Frost family had fallen, captured in a humiliating defeat.
Across the globe, the families were in disarray. Their war against Silas seemed lost before it had even begun.
Reports came flooding in of families amassing forces, forging alliances, yet morale was low. When two of the strongest groups, the Frost family and the Umbra Collective couldn't stand against Silas, what hope did the others have?
In his command center, Silas watched it all unfold through holographic displays. Dozens of screens projected real-time feeds, from grainy satellite images to encrypted communications that Luna had intercepted.
The tension across the world was palpable: small families cowering in hidden estates, the larger ones posturing while quietly trembling at the thought of confronting him.