"I believed in you," he added quietly. "At least… I tried to"
The silence deepened.
Then...
"Do you have a reason?" Taufik asked softly. "If so, tell me this"
His gaze sharpened, not with anger, but with absolute clarity.
'Why did you allow the Outer Gods to do such a thing here…" A pause. "…on my Earth?"
Zeus fell silent.
No one moved.
Even the Sanctum Aeterna itself seemed to hold its breath.
The word that left Taufik's mouth was soft, clear, almost gentle.
Yet the weight behind it eclipsed even the greatest catastrophe ever recorded.
"…Fik, there is a reason behind it. Everything had a reason behind it," Zeus finally spoke, his voice strained. "Let's stay calm and talk this through-"
"I am calm, Zeus," Taufik replied, resting his head against his palm.
He looked directly at Zeus, then slowly let his gaze sweep across the chamber. His eyebrow rose slightly as he took in the unfamiliar faces that had joined the Sanctum Aeterna.
