Frozen Flame of Dawn-Chapter 57 - 27: Breaking the Chains_2

The tension in the assembly hall was palpable, an unspoken challenge hanging in the air as all eyes turned to Major General Aiden.

In the middle of the room, the speaker cleared his throat and said again, "Major General Aiden, by order of this council you are instructed to release General Karep, Cain Rienfeld and all uninvolved parties immediately. Furthermore, this case will be given to an independent investigating body, and neither you nor your unit will be involved in the process anymore."

He briefly hesitated before stating, "In addition, the Dragon Unit will cease to function as an autonomous entity. As of right now your jurisdiction will fall under this council’s authority and not the Chancellor’s."

The hall fell silent as every eye turned to Aiden, waiting for his response as his reputation for strict adherence to protocol made them certain of his compliance.

On the other side of the room, Alaric leaned back in his chair with a smug smile playing at his lips. Henry mirrored his grandson’s confidence as his hands folded neatly on the table before him.

Aiden remained seated, his fingers interlocked on the table in front of him. Even though his face looked calm, anyone who knew him well could see that he was really upset.

Aiden rose slowly, the scrape of his chair against the floor echoing through the hushed room. His height and commanding presence seemed to fill the space as he addressed the speaker with a steady voice.

He began with his tone courteous yet unyielding. "I’ve heard the council’s decision and I respectfully decline."

As shocked gasps and angry comments filled the hall, Vice-Chancellor Henry’s smug smile turned into a furious glare, and Alaric leaned back with a slow smirk, as if he found the noise and Aiden’s bravery funny.

The speaker raised his hands attempting to regain control. "Major General Aiden, you are aware of the gravity of rejecting a council decision as this is unprecedented?"

Aiden said firmly with his steady gaze sweeping the room, "No its not but what truly unprecedented is that letting personal interest overshadow the oath we swore to protect Federations citizens and since what happened to my team was no accident but a deliberate act to silence them while hiding something far worse."

After a brief pause he then continued. "So I will not release those responsible until justice is done."

Henry shot to his feet, slamming his hands on the table. "You arrogant fool! You dare defy the council?" His voice dripped with fury, and his face was flushed a deep crimson."You think you’re above the law?"

Aiden said very calmly. "I don’t think I’m above the law, but I will not follow a decision that compromises the very citizens we are sworn to protect."

Henry’s voice boomed, "You will release them, or I will personally see to it that you’re stripped of your rank and thrown into a cell for insubordination! Your Dragon Unit will be disbanded, and your so-called authority will be nothing but a memory!"

Aiden didn’t flinch but instead he calmly reached into his jacket and retrieved a sealed envelope, handing it to the speaker. "This is a directive from the Elder Council, approved by a majority vote. Effective immediately, the Dragon Unit is no longer under the jurisdiction of this council."

The speaker’s face paled as he passed this to Chancellor Helen without opening the envelope.

Chancellor Helen who was seated at the head of the chamber gripped the envelope in her hand tightly. She had just read aloud the Elder Council’s approval of Aiden’s request, and though she had known this was a possibility, the reality of it hit harder than she expected. The loss of the Dragon Unit from the Federation’s control was a blow—not just politically, but strategically.

But Vice-Chancellor Henry rose to his feet, pointing a trembling finger at Aiden. "You think you can simply disobey us because of some outdated clause in your unit’s charter? That clause hasn’t been invoked in decades, and for good reason! The Dragon Unit exists to serve the Federation, not to act as its own rogue force!"

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Aiden met his glare head-on. "You’re wrong, Vice-Chancellor. The Dragon Unit exists to protect the people of the Federation. That’s the oath we took. And yes, the Elder Clause hasn’t been invoked in decades because it wasn’t needed. But this clause was put in place to ensure that when politics interferes with the safety of the people, the Dragon Unit can act independently."

Henry’s fury boiled over. "You can’t do this! The Elder Council has no authority to undermine the Federation Council!"

"Actually," Aiden interjected, his voice steady, "they do. When the Dragon Unit was formed, it was granted special provisions. Should the council’s decisions fail to protect the Federation’s citizens, the unit could operate independently. That clause was approved by your predecessors, Vice-Chancellor."

The silence that followed was deafening. Aiden’s words had landed like a hammer, shattering the fragile facade of unity in the room.

Henry, now visibly livid, pounded the table again. "You’re playing a dangerous game, Aiden. You may have your clause, but let me remind you, without the Federation’s resources, your unit is nothing. How long do you think you can survive without our support? Without our funding? Without our supplies?"

Aiden didn’t flinch. "We’ll manage. My unit is resourceful. Unlike this council, we don’t waste time debating while lives are at stake."

Henry’s mouth opened, but Chancellor Helen raised a hand, silencing him. Her gaze rested on Aiden, a mixture of frustration and grudging respect in her eyes. "You’ve put us in a difficult position, Major-General," she said. "I hope you understand the gravity of your actions."

Aiden replied with his tone firm. "I understand it fully and wouldn’t have had to take this step if the council had made a decision that prioritized saving lives."

Henry’s tone was anything but civil as he snapped, "Do you really think you can defy the Federations authority and hold prisoners especially my grandson without facing the consequences."

Aiden tilted his head, a faint, unamused smile playing on his lips as he said calmly, "With all due respect, Vice Chancellor, the Dragon Unit is no longer under your jurisdiction, and my team will act in the citizens’ best interests regardless of your political agenda; as for Cain Rienfeld and Major General Karep, they’re detained on justifiable grounds—if you disagree, you can bring it to the Elder Council."

Henry’s expression faltered and replaced by an angry sneer. "This is treason!" he yelled as he slammed his fist on the table. "I will not let this insubordination stand!"

Chancellor Helen raised her hand and with a calm yet firm tone she addressed Vice Chancellor Henry, "I understand your concerns but we must accept the Elder Councils decisions and our authority over them has come to an end."

Her words were like pouring gasoline on his fury."This is outrageous!" he spat as his voice trembling with frustration. "Even if they are independent they have no legal right to detain my grandson we must act immediately to release them."

Helen’s gaze darkened but she held her composure. "Are you implying this council should defy the authority and laws of the Elder Council? Choose your words carefully, Vice Chancellor."