The meeting had begun almost abruptly, without ceremony.
Maxwell stood at the front, posture straight, expression calm and resolute.
Margaret lingered just behind him, half-hidden at his shoulder, eyes darting across the room.
"Thank you all for coming," Maxwell said. "I have something important to tell you, and that is why I summoned you here."
He paused, drawing in a slow breath. "As you all know, and have likely been expecting, the gates are not far from us. I trust you are preparing yourselves."
He let the words settle, then continued, voice steady. "With that in mind, I have a proposal regarding the coming gates. For this one, I suggest we work together."
The atmosphere shifted at once. Murmurs died down. Eyes fixed on Maxwell, weighing his words.
"Trust me, we cannot afford to take risks here. If it is a gate, we must bring it down. If we fail, we risk our entire vicinity. The only way to ensure success is to work together."
