A Calculated Betrayal

The Grand Elder could feel the momentum shifting. The Second Elder's supporters were growing bolder, openly questioning Gazen's decisions in the Council. The military, once wholly loyal to the emperor, had begun to show signs of weariness, especially after years of conflict. The Arbitration Tribunal, Gazen's secretive enforcers, were still strong, but even they could not extinguish the spark of rebellion and reform that was igniting in the highest levels of the empire.

It was clear that the moment to act was approaching. The Grand Elder, ever patient, was preparing for the final move. Whether he chose Gazen or the Second Elder, treachery would be inevitable. But it would be treachery with purpose, designed to secure the empire's future—and his.

One thing was certain: when the time came, the Grand Elder would make sure that his hand was unseen, his influence undetected. The empire would shift, but he would remain the constant, pulling the strings from behind the curtain, guiding it toward whatever future he deemed fit.

And when the dust settled, the Grand Elder would still be the one in control, no matter who sat upon the throne.