The man was gone.
But his absence didn't bring peace.
It brought clarity.
"We're not waiting anymore."
Preye's voice still echoed in the minds of everyone present.
Not loud.
Not dramatic.
But final.
Timi leaned against a cracked pillar, arms folded, staring at the city like it had personally offended him, so let me get this straight,
No one stopped him this time.
"We just fought a sky-breaking… whatever-that-was…"
He gestured vaguely upward.
"…and instead of resting, we're going after Madam Ado?"
Preye didn't hesitate,
"Yes."
Timi sighed deeply, I knew you were going to say that.
Sotonye stepped forward.
"Madam Ado won't retreat like the others."
Nimi nodded,
"She doesn't rely on systems."
Boma added, she is the system.
Kuro's voice was quiet but sharp.
"She adapted faster than the Council."
Preye's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Then we end it faster."
For once...
Timi didn't joke,
Didn't deflect,
Didn't hide behind humor.
He stepped forward,
Serious, and
Focused.
"I want this one."
Silence followed.
Preye looked at him,
"…Explain."
Timi exhaled slowly,
"She took my sister."
His jaw tightened.
"She used her."
A pause.
"She thought I was irrelevant."
His eyes lifted.
For the first time—
There was something dangerous in them.
"Let me prove her wrong."
Nimi raised an eyebrow,
"…You have a plan?"
Timi smirked slightly.
"I always have a plan."
Sotonye chuckled under his breath,
"This should be interesting.
Timi moved to the table.
Cleared a space.
Started placing markers.
"Madam Ado's strength isn't power," he said,
"It's in control."
He tapped three points.
"Information."
"Movement."
"Fear."
Boma nodded slowly,
"That tracks."
Timi grinned,
"Good."
"Because we're going to break all three."
"She trusts her network."
Timi looked at Sotonye.
"I need you to feed it lies."
Sotonye's smile widened,
"My specialty."
"Not obvious lies," Timi continued,
"Convincing ones."
"Make her think we're splitting."
"Make her think Preye is losing control."
Preye didn't react.
But her eyes flickered with approval.
Timi turned to Boma.
You already control half the docks,
Boma nodded.
"More by tonight."
"Good."
"Then reroute everything she relies on."
Delay her shipments.
Redirect her resources.
Make her feel it.
Boma's grin was sharp,
That I can do.
Timi paused,
Then looked at Nimi.
"She uses fear."
Nimi nodded.
"Yes."
Timi smiled.
"Then we give her something to be afraid of."
Silence.
Then....
Everyone looked at Preye.
Preye Understands,
"…Me," she said.
Timi nodded.
"Exactly."
It didn't take days,
It didn't take weeks,
It took hours.
Madam Ado's Network,
Information came in, wrong, conflicting and unreliable.
Reports of Preye losing allies,
Reports of internal conflict,
Reports of weakness.
Madam Ado listened
Processed,
But didn't react.
Then Movement Breaks;
Shipments delayed,
Routes blocked,
Supplies missing.
Her network....
For the first time,
Stumbled.
Her eyes narrowed,
"…Interesting."
Then Fear Shifts;
Whispers spread,
Not about her, but
About Preye.
"She's not hiding anymore…"
"She's taking control…"
"She broke the Council…"
"She faced the storm…"
And for the first time—
Madam Ado's name wasn't the one people feared.
She didn't wait.
Didn't hide.
Didn't retreat.
She came to them,
The Current stood ready.
Timi stepped slightly forward.
"…Showtime."
Madam Ado Arrives,
Calm,
Composed, and
Controlled.
But something had changed.
Her eyes moved across them.
Measuring.
Calculating.
"You've been busy," she said.
Preye stepped forward.
"You've been losing."
A pause.
Madam Ado smiled faintly,
"Have I?"
Timi spoke,
"Yeah."
Everyone looked at him.
He pointed behind her.
Madam Ado turned....
And froze.
Her guards,
Gone.
Her backup,
Missing.
Even her informants,
Silent.
Timi shrugged.
"We rerouted everything."
"You built your power on control," Timi said,
But you never thought someone would control you.
Madam Ado's expression hardened.
"…You."
Timi grinned,
"Me."
Preye Steps In,
"This ends now."
Lightning flickered,
Not wild,
Not violent but
Controlled and
Focused.
Madam Ado Fights Back.
She moved,
Fast, and
Precise.
Water surged,
The ground shifted.
But.....
It wasn't enough.
Nimi cut off her escape.
Boma blocked her movement.
Sotonye disrupted her focus.
Kuro sealed the space.
And Preye....
Stepped forward.
Lightning struck.
Clean,
Controlled.
Not to destroy.
But to end.
Madam Ado Falls,
She staggered
Fell to one knee.
For the first time...
Her control....
Gone.
"…Impressive," she whispered.
Preye looked down at her.
"It's over."
Madam Ado laughed softly,
"…No."
A pause
"It's just changing hands."
Preye didn't deny it.
The city felt it.
A shift .
A fall.
A rise.
Timi Exhales,
"…Okay."
He dropped onto the ground.
"I need food."
Nimi rolled her eyes.
"You always need food."
Timi nodded.
"Yes."
Preye stood over the city.
Storm quiet.
Current steady.
Control—
Not forced.
But earned.
Then,
Denyefa stepped beside her.
"…It's not over."
Preye didn't look at her.
"I know."
Denyefa 's voice dropped,
"The river…"
A pause.
"It's changing."
Lightning flickered faintly in Preye's hand.
"…So are we."
And far beyond Opundi City,
Beyond storms,
Beyond rivers,
Something ancient stirred again,
Because the pieces were finally in place.
And the real end…
Had just begun. 🌟