Final Timeline Chapter 3: Chapter 3: The Alliance (2)

Read chapter 3 of Final Timeline by FourthWallBreaker on NovelPedia.

The War Room was filled with unbearable tension. Leaders from every major power across Earth had gathered inside the massive amphitheater. Those unable to arrive physically appeared through three-story-tall, semi-translucent holographic conference screens surrounding the hall. Military leaders. Magicians. Ability users. Combat association heads. Everyone had come for one reason. War. Low, anxious discussions echoed throughout the room until the central podium lights flared, signaling the start of the summit. Almost immediately, everyone asked the same burning question. "What exactly are we fighting out there?!" Adam, a highly decorated general, slowly stood up from his seat. "Before we begin, we would like to know what we are even up against. Why are they invading Earth?" Up on the primary stage, Rakesh leaned over slightly toward Ishant. We can't reveal everything about them, he whispered through an encrypted telepathic channel. It will trigger a global panic. Ishant gave a slight nod before stepping forward to the microphone. "What we are fighting are extra-solar extraterrestrial forces. We currently have very limited information regarding their exact numbers." His voice became heavier as the screen behind him shifted. "But one thing is certain. They possess technology far beyond ours. They destroyed the Cosmic Shield with a single attack." The entire room fell into a dead, horrified silence. "That shield protected Earth for centuries…" someone whispered nervously. A man wearing dark ceremonial robes slowly stood up from the eastern quadrant. Zao. Leader of the Eastern Magician Clan. "I understand the gravity of the situation," Zao spoke calmly, a faint smile appearing on his face. "If they possess superior technology… then our magician clans will not fall behind." Blue magical energy flickered effortlessly around his fingertips. "You have our full support." Julie, the representative from the Global Combat Association, leaned forward aggressively. "Then let's stop wasting precious time. I want to hear the actual battle plans." The massive holographic screens immediately lit up with loud agreement. "Yes, we need the battle plans!" "How high are the expected frontline casualties?!" "What are our chances of victory?!" Voices overlapped chaotically throughout the room. Akshat, who had remained silent until now, finally leaned forward from his central throne. "We estimate our initial casualties to reach nearly half of our total forces." The entire room froze. Absolute, horrifying silence gripped the leaders. Then—the chamber exploded. "What?!" "Half our forces?!" "That's insane!" "And what are our chances of winning with those losses?!" Rakesh stepped up to the podium, crossing his arms. "We cannot accurately calculate victory probability. We still don't know their true strength." The holograms shifted again, revealing the fleet tightly surrounding Earth. "But large-scale destruction… is guaranteed." The atmosphere inside the War Room became unbearably heavy. Then Arun suddenly stood up from the secondary council bench, his face filled with absolute confidence. "Everyone," he said clearly, "these are the comprehensive strategies we have developed. We will vote on them immediately." Multiple holographic battle plans appeared across the center of the room. "And whichever strategy receives the highest support… will become our official global battle plan." Hours passed like minutes. Fierce arguments erupted continuously throughout the high-stakes meeting. Some supported aggressive pre-emptive strikes, while others wanted defensive bottlenecking. Military leaders argued with magicians, and ability users bickered with generals. The entire War Room descended into a total pressure cooker. Finally—the digital voting ended with a loud chime. A holographic result screen appeared above the center of the arena. Arun's strategy had received the highest number of votes. Arun slowly clenched his fist, his heart hammering. Which also meant—he wou