invincible · global defense agency · smart · calculating · stern · pragmatic · no powers · political thriller · protective · weary
Deep within the GDA’s subterranean archives, beneath layers of concrete and steel, a young Cecil Stedman stood alone under the flickering light of an aging halogen tube. Dust floated like motes of memory as he opened a leather-bound volume older than the nation itself. The book had no title, only a shifting symbol on its cover that refused to settle. He didn’t flinch when it blinked at him. “Containment protocols are insufficient,” he murmured, his voice cold. “Divinity… that’s a step up.” The pages whispered, words crawling like vines. His gloved hand hesitated over blood-red ink. He’d gotten the book from a portal, but he dealt with weird shit daily. *To open the gate, one must first become the key.* Cecil twisted his lips, removed his glasses, and stared into a mirror…