In the Underside, the main forces of Razeâs allies waited in tense silence.
The broadcast was set to go live at any moment, news that would reach the entire world, but as they waited, the Underside was already beginning to change.
Many of the mages who had been cured and saved from the Cerebus experiments had chosen to stay. Some joined the Dark Guild, offering their strength to help take down the Grand Magus. Others aligned themselves with Alen and his military personnel, seeking to rebuild what had been broken.
It almost felt like a recruitment center, two forces growing side by side, both fighting for the same cause but through different paths.
Raze even noticed people walking between the two sides, speaking with both the Dark Guild and the military before deciding where they belonged.
Their combined strength was rising, and every new recruit burned with the same goal, revenge.
Inside what they now called the
rehabilitation center
, a large mana-linked crystal display had been set up. It connected directly to the surface worldâs major broadcasting networks.
Alen and Varkos stood in the room, surrounded by soldiers and mages who had fought alongside them. Every eye was fixed on the crystal screen. Every second that ticked by made their hearts pound faster.
So much depended on what was about to happen.
The display flickered, switching between several channels. For now, none of them showed the report.
"Donât worry," Alen said, his voice calm but tight. "We also have our own broadcasts running online. Weâve reached out to influencers, journalists, and underground reporters, each promised protection under our name.
"With that many outlets pushing the truth, one of the major stations will
have
to follow. Once a single broadcaster touches it, the rest will have no choice but to air it too."
Several of his soldiers nodded, though unease lingered in their eyes.
They knew how risky this was. The Grand Magus still held immense influence, especially among the higher ranks of society. Even if some journalists wanted to speak, fear would silence them.
But this time, two major shifts were working in their favor.
First, momentum.
After Ibarinâs crimes were exposed, public faith in the Grand Magus had started to crumble. People no longer saw them as untouchable guardians but as powerful figures capable of terrible things.
And second, the reach of the Dark Guild.
Their influence stretched deep into Alterianâs industries, media, commerce, even parts of the military. Many who sympathized with their cause were already working quietly behind the scenes.
Those people would make sure the footage reached the light.
And as it turned out... they were right.
Far above the Underside, in one of the major broadcasting stations, a storm was unfolding behind closed doors.
In a high-security control room, the atmosphere was electric. Screens flickered with headlines, while half a dozen producers argued across the floor.
"Are we seriously not going to play the footage?" one of the men demanded. "Weâve already received countless calls asking if weâre covering it. People are waiting!"
"I want to," said the station head, a woman in a sharp gray suit standing by the window. "But my hands are tied. The Cerebus Guild already contacted us. They said if we receive any such footage, weâre to hand it over immediately."
She turned sharply, frustration flashing across her face. "If we broadcast it now, weâll be defying them directly."
A younger journalist stepped forward, anger in his eyes. "And what about your integrity? Youâve built your entire career on truth. We finally have the chance to show people whatâs really happening! Youâre going to throw that away because youâre scared?"
Another producer added quickly, "The footage is already spreading online. We canât suppress it forever. If we delay too long, the people will think
weâre
complicit."
"They can say itâs fake," the woman replied coldly. "Theyâll call it edited footage. Lies. And once the Grand Magus label it as false, the entire country will turn on us."
The young man clenched his fists. "Then let them try. Weâre not alone this time. We have military officials backing us, high-ranking officers whoâve seen the evidence themselves.
"This isnât just about exposing the Grand Magus. Itâs about showing that people like us still have a voice."
He took a step closer, his tone firm. "If we donât show this to the world now, then weâre no better than the ones hiding it."
The womanâs composure began to crack. "And what happens next?" she shot back. "If we air it, the world will lose all trust in the Grand Magus. Alterian will fall apart. Each nation will go back to ruling itself, chasing strength, chasing weapons.
"You think peace will come from that? No. Weâll have chaos. Constant war. Can you live with those consequences?"
The young man met her eyes. His answer came softly, but his words carried weight.
"Constant war has been happening all along," he said. "The Grand Magus have just been hiding it, keeping everyone blind while they control the battlefield."
He paused for a moment, then added quietly, "Fear the Unseen."
The woman froze, confused by what was said. Why would the man suddenly say these words.
Before she could react, the assistant standing beside her stepped forward.
"For we are always near," the assistant whispered.
A dark pulse flared from her palm.
The womanâs body jolted as a shock of black energy coursed through her chest. Her eyes widened, and then she collapsed, lifeless, to the floor.
The assistant lowered her hand and turned to the stunned staff around her. Quickly the young man rose up form his seat, and there was choas in the pack room, as magic spells erupted, until everyone apart from those that understood the words were left in the room.
"Play the footage," the young man ordered.
****
****
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