As everyone left, the council room was shrouded in an uneasy silence, the blue lights casting an ethereal glow on the raised seats.
Ashton's gaze was fixed on Astaroth, anger simmering beneath the surface. The air crackled with tension as the accusation he had hurled at Astaroth hung heavy in the room.
"Ashton, I assure you, I had no part in changing the plans," Astaroth declared, his tone firm.
Ashton narrowed his eyes, the echo of Jo'Han's words haunting his thoughts. 'Do not trust anyone, not even the one within you.'
"You expect me to believe that?" Ashton blurted out. "Rood was going to give me the Soul Killer, and suddenly, the plan shifts, and it's for you?"
Ashton's frustration was evident in his words as Astartoh stood before him calmly and collectedly.
