Adrian returned home long after the sun had set, his body exhausted and his mind heavier than ever. Chronos felt distant now, like a dream that had already faded, but Jake's funeral still lingered in his thoughts, refusing to let go. Every step toward his house felt slower than the last, as if the weight of everything he had lost was pulling him back.
He opened the door quietly and stepped inside, the familiar silence greeting him. The lights were dim, the air calm—too calm. For a moment, he wondered where Riley was. Usually, she would be somewhere nearby, either reading, training, or talking endlessly about something trivial to distract him from his worries.
He walked toward his room, his footsteps echoing softly through the hallway. As he pushed the door open, he saw Riley sitting on the edge of his bed, her posture tense, her gaze lowered, as if she had been waiting for something—or someone—for a very long time.
The moment her eyes met his, her expression changed instantly. Shock flashed across her face, followed by confusion, then overwhelming relief. Before Adrian could even react, she stood up abruptly and rushed toward him, wrapping her arms tightly around him.
Adrian froze for a second, startled by the sudden embrace. "What are you doing?" he asked, his voice uncertain, almost awkward.
"I thought you were dead!" Riley said, her voice trembling as tears threatened to fall. There was no fear in her voice anymore—only pure relief and joy.
Adrian blinked in confusion. "Dead? Why would you think that? I mean, yeah, someone… uh, captured me for a day, but I wasn't dead," he said, scratching the back of his head, clearly puzzled.
"Someone told me you were," Riley replied quietly, her brows furrowing as if she was trying to understand what had happened.
Adrian's expression slowly darkened as realization struck him. "No way… it must be Lucius," he muttered to himself.
"Lucius?" Riley asked, tilting her head in confusion. But the tension on her face soon disappeared, replaced by a bright smile. "Anyway, you're here now! Let's spend some time together!"
"Uh… okay," Adrian replied softly.
And so, they spent the rest of the day talking. They laughed over small memories, argued over meaningless things, and shared stories they had never spoken about before. For the first time in a long while, Adrian felt something close to peace. It wasn't perfect, and it wasn't complete—but it was real.
Weeks passed quietly.
From the ashes of destruction, a new Hero Headquarters was built, larger and stronger than the previous one. The scars of the past battles were still visible in the city, but people slowly began to believe in hope again. With the restructuring of the organization, Lucius Falcon was officially selected as the head of the council, while also retaining his position as the head scientist.
Two new Lights of Justice were chosen to replace those who had fallen in battle. The world moved forward, pretending that everything had returned to normal.
But beneath the surface, something far darker was quietly unfolding.
That night, the city slept peacefully under the pale glow of the moon.
Inside the new headquarters, deep within its highest floor, Lucius sat alone in his office. The room was dimly lit, shadows stretching across the walls as he leaned back in his chair, his fingers calmly interlocked. His expression was calm, almost gentle—but there was something unsettling hidden behind his smile.
The silence was suddenly broken by a voice.
"What is your plan with the boy?"
Lucius slowly turned his gaze toward the corner of the room, where a man was sitting casually, as if he had always been there.
"Oh?" Lucius replied with a faint smile. "Are you interested in him?"
"Not really," the man answered indifferently. "Just curious. After all, he knows about you."
Lucius closed his eyes for a moment, as if carefully choosing his words. Then he spoke in a calm, almost playful tone.
"Well, I was planning to send him, along with a few other Lights of Justice, to another planet," he explained. "A planet so dangerous that survival itself would be nearly impossible. Even if he somehow manages to live… you'll interfere, won't you, Ren?"
The man slowly stood up from the shadows.
"Of course," Ren replied.
The moonlight revealed his appearance: red hair, sharp red eyes, a large scar running across his face, and a fancy leather jacket worn over simple clothing. His presence alone felt heavy, as if the air around him was being crushed.
"Though," Ren continued, cracking his neck slowly, "I'll have to deal with the other Lights of Justice if they see me killing him."
Lucius let out a quiet chuckle. "A few Lights of Justice are nothing for you," he said calmly. "After all, your ability is extremely overpowered."
Ren paused for a moment, then finally smiled faintly.
"Hm… you're right," he said.
The room fell silent once again.
Outside, the world slept peacefully—unaware that the calm it cherished was only the beginning of something far more terrifying.