The hooded man smiled.
It wasn't the smile of someone about to fight.
It was the smile of someone who had just found exactly what he had been searching for.
Lucien took a slow step forward, placing himself directly between the stranger and Stacy.
The movement was almost instinctive.
Protect her.
That single thought echoed through his mind.
The hooded man noticed.
His smile widened.
"So..."
"The rumors really were true."
Lucien's blue eyes remained fixed on him.
"You shouldn't be here."
"And yet..."
The stranger casually spread his hands.
"Here I am."
Stacy looked between the two men.
"You know each other?"
Silence.
Neither answered.
The only sound came from the gentle waves of the lake brushing against the shore.
The stranger tilted his head.
"I've heard quite a lot about you, Lucien Ashford."
"You've become quite famous."
Lucien's expression didn't change.
"I said leave."
The hooded man ignored him completely.
Instead...
He looked around the quiet lakeside.
"What a beautiful university."
"So peaceful."
"So ordinary."
His gaze slowly shifted toward Stacy.
"...She really has no idea, does she?"
Stacy frowned.
"No idea about what?"
Lucien's voice dropped.
"Enough."
The stranger chuckled.
"Still keeping secrets."
He sighed dramatically.
"I suppose I understand."
"If she knew what you really were..."
His eyes sparkled with amusement.
"...she'd probably run."
Lucien clenched his fists.
"You've said enough."
The air around them suddenly felt heavier.
Stacy instinctively took a step backward.
Something was changing.
She couldn't explain it.
The atmosphere itself seemed to tighten.
The hooded man slowly removed one glove.
"You know..."
"I've always wondered something."
Lucien didn't respond.
"What kind of Sentinel..."
"...would choose to protect someone who doesn't even know the truth?"
The word struck Stacy immediately.
Sentinel.
She'd never heard it before.
Yet somehow...
It sounded familiar.
"What..."
"...is a Sentinel?"
Lucien didn't answer.
Instead...
He quietly said,
"Stacy."
She looked at him.
"When I say run..."
"...don't hesitate."
Her heart skipped.
"What?"
The hooded man laughed.
"I don't think she'll have the chance."
Without warning
He vanished.
One second he stood twenty feet away.
The next
He appeared directly in front of Stacy.
Everything happened too fast.
She barely had time to gasp.
A hand reached toward her.
Before it could touch her
Lucien intercepted it.
CRACK!
The impact echoed across the lakeside.
Stone beneath their feet shattered.
The force sent fallen leaves spiraling into the air.
Stacy stumbled backward.
Her eyes widened.
That... wasn't human.
Lucien pushed the stranger away.
Both men landed several meters apart.
Neither seemed injured.
The hooded man stretched his shoulder.
"Not bad."
"I expected nothing less from the Ashford family."
Lucien remained silent.
Every muscle in his body was tense.
He couldn't afford a mistake.
Not while Stacy was standing behind him.
The stranger noticed exactly where Lucien kept glancing.
He smiled knowingly.
"You're worried."
"No."
"Really?"
"Then why haven't you attacked?"
Lucien answered quietly.
"Because I'd rather end this without involving innocent people."
The hooded man laughed.
"There it is."
"The famous Lucien Ashford."
"Always carrying the weight of everyone else."
Stacy stared at them.
Nothing made sense.
How could people move like this?
How could they break stone with their bare hands?
This wasn't possible.
It shouldn't be possible.
The stranger looked toward her again.
"You must be wondering what's happening."
"I..."
"You deserve to know."
Lucien's voice cut through the air.
"No."
The stranger smiled.
"See?"
"He won't tell you."
"He never tells anyone."
Stacy looked at Lucien.
He refused to meet her eyes.
The stranger continued.
"Ask him why he never gets injured."
"Ask him why the university lets him walk away whenever he wants."
"Ask him why people like me exist."
Every question hit harder than the last.
Lucien finally spoke.
"Stop trying to manipulate her."
"I'm simply offering answers."
"You've never cared about the truth."
The stranger shrugged.
"Maybe."
"But curiosity is a dangerous thing."
His gaze lingered on Stacy.
"And she has plenty of it."
Lucien's expression darkened.
"You came here for one reason."
The stranger nodded.
"I did."
He slowly pointed toward Stacy.
"I wanted to confirm something."
Silence.
Then...
He smiled.
"It really is her."
Lucien's heart sank.
"What did you just say?"
"You heard me."
The stranger stepped backward.
"I've seen enough."
Stacy frowned.
"...Seen enough of what?"
Instead of answering...
The hooded man looked directly at Lucien.
"I'll give you one piece of advice."
"Keep her close."
Lucien didn't respond.
"Because once the others learn what I learned today..."
"...they won't be as polite."
A chill ran down Stacy's spine.
"The others?"
Before she could ask
The stranger suddenly disappeared into the darkness between the trees.
Gone.
Just...
Gone.
The silence that followed felt heavier than the fight itself.
Lucien remained perfectly still.
His eyes searched the darkness.
Listening.
Waiting.
Nearly a full minute passed before he finally relaxed.
"He's gone."
Stacy stared at him.
"...Who was that?"
No answer.
She laughed bitterly.
"Of course."
"You won't tell me."
Lucien looked exhausted.
"I can't."
"You keep saying that."
"Because it's true."
She folded her arms.
"Do you know how frustrating you are?"
"...Probably."
"No."
"You don't."
She took a deep breath.
"I've watched someone disappear."
"I've watched two people move faster than I've ever seen."
"I've heard words that don't make any sense."
"And every time I ask you something..."
"You tell me to trust you."
Her voice softened.
"...How am I supposed to do that?"
Lucien lowered his eyes.
For once...
He had no answer.
Not because he didn't want to speak.
Because every answer would drag her deeper into a world he had spent years trying to keep separate from hers.
Stacy looked at him for another moment.
Then sighed.
"...Take me back."
He nodded silently.
The walk back to campus was quiet.
Not awkward.
Just...
Heavy.
Neither of them knew what to say anymore.
For the first time since they met...
The silence between them wasn't comfortable.
It was filled with questions.
Questions neither of them were ready to answer.