Twelve cloaked figures emerged from the shifting shadows of the obsidian chamber—six on either side, kneeling in perfect symmetry beneath the looming gaze of the Vice Archon. His presence was suffocating, a pressure that bent even the air to his will.
"So," the Vice Archon said coldly, his voice like a blade scraping against steel. "What do the reports say?"
One of the shadows from the right-side group lowered his head further. "We're sorry, Vice Archon. The first team was… dealt with. By the kids. We attempted to intervene afterward but—"
"Enough," the Vice Archon cut in sharply. His tone darkened. "Tell me about the Assassin Slayers."
Another figure from the opposite group stepped forward slightly. "We regret to report… we failed."
A chilling silence fell.
"What?" the Vice Archon hissed. "You failed?"
"Yes," the shadow responded firmly, though sweat beaded beneath his cowl. "We infiltrated one of their allies, but… something blocked us. We couldn't extract any data."
The Vice Archon's voice dropped to a growl. "You're telling me not even the Eye of Silence could pierce their minds?"
"That's not the case, Lord Vice," the shadow replied with haste. "We haven't given up. But there's more…"
The room grew even more silent.
"The 160 assassins we sent afterwards… the team meant to recover and extract the four… were all eliminated. Every last one. Not a single operative survived."
The words echoed like a death knell through the chamber.
"All 160?" the Vice Archon repeated, eyes narrowing. "You're telling me they butchered a hundred and sixty trained agents?"
"Yes, my Lord," the figure confirmed. "Systematically. No signs of resistance from their side. Just… silence. As if they were never there."
A long pause.
"So we have nothing," the Vice Archon said, more to himself now. "No names. No origins. Only that there are four of them yet. The Assassin Slayers…"
Another figure raised their head slightly. "We believe there may be more. But only four have shown themselves so far."
The Vice Archon's hands clenched into fists. "I want them exposed. I want them dissected. I want to watch their world burn. Crush them all."
"You will have everything you seek," the twelve replied in perfect unison, voices like a dark vow.
"We will find them. And we will destroy them."
They bowed their heads, then faded back into the shadows—silent, swift, and cold as death.
The Vice Archon sat back, eyes fixed on the darkness beyond the room.
"Crush them all…" he repeated softly, a smile forming—not of joy, but of pure malice.
The Next Morning
The first light of dawn broke over the city, soft gold spilling through the blinds of Liam's window. He stirred under the covers, eyes blinking open as the echoes of the last battle faded from his mind. His body ached—every muscle sore, every joint heavy—but he was awake. More than that, he was alive.
As he sat up, a soft knock came at his door.
It opened without waiting for permission.
Dreck stepped in, arms crossed but a rare expression on his face—something between admiration.
"You woke up earlier than I expected," Dreck said gruffly, but there was a slight smirk tugging at his lips.
Liam stretched and grunted. "Didn't feel like sleeping in…"
Dreck nodded.
There was a beat of silence. Dreck stepped forward and placed a hand on Liam's shoulder.
"I'm sorry," he said simply. "For pushing you so far, so fast. But… you impressed me, kid. That control—that restraint—you didn't lose yourself. That means you're ready for more."
Liam's eyes lit with a quiet fire. He was still too tired to speak much, but those words meant more than Dreck could know.
Meanwhile…
At Lucas house
Kaela stirred in her room, the sheets half-kicked off her as she blinked away the morning haze.
She sat up, rubbing her forehead, just as her door creaked open.
"You're awake I see," a familiar voice teased.
Kaela looked up and saw Lucas leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, an amused expression on his face.
"Morning, Brother Lucas," she said, managing a half-smile.
Lucas stepped into the room and sat on the edge of her bed.
"You went all out the other day."
"I had to" she said softly. "It just… happened."
"you only brought out the lightning that day but you used it like you've been wielding it for years now.
You're something else.
Kaela looked at him, smiled.
That's what made me me.
Lucas nodded slowly. "It did. You and Liam… you both showed signs of emotional resonance with aether. That's impressive.
"Speaking of Liam… how is he? Were they attacked too?" Kaela asked, her voice tense with concern.
"Yeah, they were," Lucas replied. "Same method they used on us."
Lucas nodded. "Liam's fine too."
Kaela let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "That's a relief."
"I'd like to see him soon," Kaela said softly.
Lucas looked at her for a moment, his expression gentle. Then he smiled.
"You will," he said. "Just get some rest for now."
"I'm heading out. Take care of yourself, okay?" Lucas said as he adjusted his coat.
"Where are you going?" Kaela asked, her brows knitting slightly.
"Somewhere," he replied vaguely. "Just… take care."
And he left.
She sighed
and fell back on the bed, eyes staring at the ceiling. One thing was clear
Everything was changing.