"No," shouted the Fifth Supreme Elder as he rose from his seat, eyes locked on the Second Elder, who was preparing to execute the First Elder's directive. His voice boomed across the Council Hall, infused with defiance and frustration. His aura flickered around him, uncontrolled, like a warning flame.
He raised his right hand and pointed directly at the First Elder.
"You can't just decide for all of us because you want to, First Elder. That's not how this works. If you want our entire clan to follow your course of action, then it must go through a vote—a Council Vote."
Gasps rippled through the chamber. He was invoking protocol, and doing so boldly. But he wasn't wrong.
The Fifth Elder knew exactly what he was doing. With ten of the twelve Supreme Elders likely opposing the First Elder's plan, he was confident the vote would swing in his favor—and he wanted to make that known.
