The hunt begins
"No."
The word left Orion's lips with unwavering finality, echoing through the chamber like a sword striking stone. He did not hesitate, did not falter. His rejection of Teress's proposal was absolute.
The offer had been tempting, undeniably so. To step into the ranks of those who had once hunted him, to gain their trust, their resources, their secrets—it was a strategy few could dream of executing. With Teress's guidance, he would gain access to the inner workings of the empire's most formidable faction. He would be granted protection, power, and a direct path to the knowledge he sought.
And yet, Orion knew better.
For all its advantages, this path was a gilded cage. An alliance with the Blue Throne would shackle him, binding his every move to their scrutiny. His actions would no longer be his own, his choices dictated by their commands. He had come too far, endured too much, to trade one form of captivity for another.
His path was his own.