24: NOT NOW NOT EVER

Things began to unfold so speedily. There were a lot of meetings as the beast was seen on almost a daily basis. A lot of people blamed me, but I kept my resolve. I was not going to yield Zaza’s throne to a wicked man.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the land, a sense of unease settled over Border Town. The town looked like a dark cloud had consumed it.

There were concerned whispers about my resolve, and it filled the air as rumors of the General's demands spread like wildfire, igniting fear and uncertainty among the townsfolk.

I stood in the center of the hall. I was surrounded by a group of concerned elders and senior ranking officers, their faces showed disappointment and the fact that I controlled half of the army, as the general. It did not make any decision an easy one.

They had sad faces as they relayed the General's demands to me. His ultimatum hung heavy in the air, a concerned threat that cast a shadow of dread over our already troubled town.