Standing in the silence of the room, Lucian dialed the number, the blood from his face dripping steadily onto the floor, creating a rhythm of soft taps. Rose couldn’t look away. She sat trembling in the corner, arms wrapped tightly around herself as her wide, frightened eyes fixed on him. Her brother covered in blood, his eyes unreadable had suddenly become an enigma, someone almost unrecognizable to her.
Finally, the other end picked up, and a strong, authoritative voice answered, cautious. “Hello?”
Lucian took a steady breath, his tone calm, yet carrying an unmistakable authority. “General, it’s me Noir calling from another number.”
For a few seconds, there was silence on the other end, and then the general’s voice returned, his tone wary. “Prove it. If this is truly you, give me verification.” There was a slight hint of doubt in his voice, as though he could scarcely believe that someone so young could sound so commanding.
Lucian’s response was cold, unyielding. “General, it’s not my job to prove myself right now. Whether you believe me is secondary to what I’m about to tell you. Someone dared to harm my family tonight. I need immediate action, not an interrogation.” His words were sharp, each one dripping with frustration and suppressed fury, anger unmistakable.
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“What?” The general’s voice tightened with alarm. “What do you mean? How could anyone breach”
“Listen carefully, General,” Lucian interrupted, his tone growing colder. “I asked you to secure the people closest to me, to protect them as if your life depended on it. I gave my trust, and today, my sister was kidnapped. If I hadn’t been there…” he took a short, steadying breath, fighting back the storm within him, “if I hadn’t been there, she’d be gone.”
The man on the other end went quiet, the weight of Lucian’s words settling heavily. Then, after a pause, he responded, his voice rough with restrained anger and remorse, “I swear to you, Noir, I’ve taken every possible precaution to ensure your family’s safety. Your trust in us hasn’t been taken lightly. This incident it must be rectified immediately.”
Lucian’s grip on the phone tightened, his gaze hard as he glanced down at his bloodied hand. “Rectified? Is that your response, General?” he asked, his voice low and icy. “This isn’t about damage control. It’s about sending a message. Whoever orchestrated this will understand what happens when they cross my family. You have twenty-four hours, General. Either you find everyone connected to this, or I’ll handle it personally. And I assure you,” his voice dropped to a deadly whisper, “they won’t enjoy the outcome.”
The general’s voice became formal, almost hesitant, a rare tone from a seasoned leader. “Noir… I give you my word. I’ll do everything in my power to ensure this situation is resolved. The people responsible will regret ever laying a hand on your family. We’ll bring the full force of the division if necessary.”
A dark glint crossed Lucian’s eyes. “No half-measures, General. This mercenary organization they used they’re done, too. If I don’t see the last of them gone, then don’t be surprised if you find unauthorized… actions taken. You don’t want to wake up to reports of sudden ‘nuclear incidents’ across certain parts of the planet.” His voice was calm, eerily so, as though he were discussing logistics rather than life-or-death stakes.
On the other end, there was a longer silence than before. When the general finally spoke, his voice was composed but taut. “Understood, Mr. black. I assure you, this situation will be handled with the utmost seriousness. You have my word that there will be no loose ends left, and any organization involved will be eradicated.” The general paused, his words carrying a weight that was rarely given to anyone. “And for what it’s worth… I apologize. I won’t allow this oversight to happen again.”
Lucian’s expression remained impassive, though the controlled fury in his eyes never wavered. “Do as you like,” Lucian said, his voice eerily steady. “But I want this resolved in the next twenty-four hours. If not… well, let’s just say you’ll have a choice to make.” He let the words hang in the air, each syllable sharpened with a cold intensity. “You can send every resource you have, every soldier and weapon, toward my location if you start seeing me as a threat. If tomorrow you decide I’ve gone too far and feel that I’m a danger, feel free to react.”
He paused, a bitter, knowing smile pulling at his mouth. “But believe me,” he continued, his voice dropping to a dark whisper, “by then, it’ll be too late. No one will walk dry out of it . And don’t think, for one second, that my age has anything to do with this.”
“I understand,” the general replied solemnly. “And thank you for trusting me enough to make this call. I’ll be in contact with immediate updates.”
As Lucian held the phone to his ear, his voice softened slightly, yet remained chillingly precise. “Also, I’ll be sending you my location in a moment,” he said, his gaze flickering over the blood-soaked room, his sister still trembling in the corner. He paused, his eyes distant as he gathered himself, before continuing, “I need a team here discreet, thorough, and quick. This mess needs to disappear.”
He let out a breath, almost inaudible, but carrying a weight of exhaustion and worry. “And… I don’t want Mother to know any of this. I mean it. Not a whisper, not a clue. She can’t ever find out that this happened.” His voice dropped even lower, heavy with an uncharacteristic vulnerability. “Promise me that. I don’t want her to carry this burden, to ever think she put us in harm’s way. If she knew…” He trailed off, the implications clear but unspoken.
The general on the other end hesitated, perhaps caught off guard by the weight of the request. “Understood, sir. I’ll ensure absolute discretion. She’ll never know,” he said, his tone as steady as steel, respectful yet resolute.
Lucian nodded, though the general couldn’t see it. His gaze fell back to Rose, who was watching him with a mix of fear, awe, and something else confusion, perhaps, as she tried to process the events and her brother’s transformation. The blood from his own wounds trickled slowly down, staining his school shirt, yet he barely seemed to notice.
“Good,” he replied, his voice now a mere whisper, almost to himself. “I’ll hold you to it.” ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
Without another word, Lucian ended the call, his expression unreadable as he slipped the phone back into his pocket. He let out a slow, calming breath, his eyes momentarily distant as he took in the blood staining his clothes, his hands, his very skin.
Rose sat in stunned silence, clutching herself tighter. She’d overheard snippets of the conversation, enough to piece together the reality of what she’d just witnessed. Her mind spun with unanswered questions ‘Noir? General? Nukes?’ The words seemed surreal, out of place in the context of the younger brother she thought she knew. It was like she was seeing a stranger in his place, someone fierce, cold, and dangerous.
Lucian lowered his phone, the weight of everything settling over him. He took a deep, steadying breath, trying to ease the tension that had gripped his body. His eyes, which had been cold and sharp, softened as they fell on Rose. The fierce determination that had burned within him moments ago shifted to something gentler, almost tender. In the space of a few heartbeats, his expression transformed.
Rose, still huddled in the corner, watched him with wide, wary eyes, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as though trying to create a shield against the fear and confusion swirling inside her. Her gaze was locked on his, hesitant yet searching, as if she didn’t fully recognize the boy standing before her.
Lucian took a cautious step toward her, his movements slow and deliberate, as though he was approaching a frightened animal. His shoulders relaxed, and his posture softened, conveying that he meant no harm. He could see the fear in her eyes the haunted look that hadn’t been there before today and it cut him more deeply than he cared to admit. But he couldn’t turn away now; he needed to be here for her, to offer what reassurance he could.
Rose flinched slightly as he moved closer, her body instinctively drawing back against the wall, but Lucian didn’t stop. His expression remained gentle, each step measured and calm, showing her with his presence that she was safe. He knelt down in front of her, lowering himself to her level, his eyes filled with a quiet strength and warmth.
“Rose…” he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper, filled with a compassion that seemed to envelop the small space between them. He paused, waiting for her to meet his gaze fully, his eyes filled with concern and unspoken apologies. “I’m here. You’re safe now as I promised.”
He held out his hand, not pushing, just offering. There was a slight tremor in her hand as she looked at it, but she slowly reached out, hesitating for a moment before finally placing her small, trembling fingers in his. Her grip was fragile, yet it felt as though she was clinging to him for some kind of strength, some sense of security amid the chaos.
—–
Hey guys, your lovely author here!
Alright, hear me out – I’m going to act a little shameless today, okay?
So, here’s the situation: exams are coming up, and I need to stockpile chapters. But… I’ve been feeling pretty lazy. I asked some of my fellow authors for advice, and they suggested a little motivation boost.
Here’s the deal: for every castle you guys send my way, I’ll be motivated to write and release five extra chapters. This is purely to help keep me going, alright?
And please – this is just for those of you who are able to support without any worries. If you’re like me and don’t have much to spare, no need to try. Only do it if you have some extra income, and it’s not a big deal for you.
Lastly, I want to thank you all so much for the golden tickets and power stones – they mean the world to me!