The city skyline stretched endlessly beyond the windows of Lucien's apartment, bathed in the soft glow of the evening sun. It had been weeks since he last stepped outside. The once-mighty soldier, the one feared by assassins and warriors alike, now sat in the dimly lit silence of his own prison.
He hadn't trained.
He hadn't fought.
He hadn't even lived.
Lucien Falkner had become a ghost.
The weight of everything crushed him—his past, his father's death, the truth behind Vermilion Oath. For the first time in his life, he didn't know what to do.
The only person who still visited was Evelyn.
Every day, she would arrive, knocking softly before stepping inside. She never forced him to speak. Instead, she would cook him a meal, clean the apartment, and simply sit beside him.
Sometimes, she would tell him about school—about Lena's latest embarrassing moment, about the professors, about the small dramas of everyday life.
Other times, she wouldn't say anything at all.
She would just be there.
And somehow, that was enough.
---
The Knock at the Door
One evening, as Lucien sat by the window, staring blankly at the darkening sky, a sudden knock echoed through the apartment.
Not Evelyn's usual gentle knock.
Not Damian's impatient pounding.
Something different.
Lucien didn't move at first. He had no reason to.
But then, another knock. Firm. Purposeful.
His instincts flared. Something was off.
Slowly, he pushed himself up, muscles aching from weeks of inactivity. He reached for the knife he kept near the door—just in case.
And then, he opened it.
Standing outside was a man in a wheelchair.
Old. Dignified. Aged by war.
Behind him stood two bodyguards, their suits adorned with the unmistakable Vermilion Oath emblem.
Lucien's grip on the knife tightened.
His blood boiled.
This was them.
He should kill them where they stood.
But then, the old man smiled.
"Thank you," he said.
Lucien's brow furrowed. What the hell was this?
"I am Michael Echelon," the man continued. "And I believe… you've already met my son, Viktor."
---
A Walk by the Lake
Lucien didn't know why he agreed to go.
Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was the fact that Michael wasn't afraid of him—unlike everyone else.
So now, they sat by a quiet lake, surrounded by nothing but trees and the occasional ripple of water.
Michael gazed at the lake, a nostalgic look in his eyes.
"This place," he murmured, "used to be a training ground. Not for killers. Not for war. But for children."
Lucien remained silent.
Michael sighed. "You don't believe me. That's fair. But once, a long time ago… Vermilion Oath was never meant to be what it is today."
Lucien finally spoke. His voice was cold, sharp, unforgiving.
"I don't care about your excuses."
Michael chuckled. "You sound just like him."
Lucien's eyes flickered. Him?
Michael continued, his voice distant.
---
The Birth of Vermilion Oath
"I was once a soldier," Michael said. "Not for Vermilion Oath. Not for power. Just a soldier. And when I retired, I built a home—an orphanage.
"I took in children with nowhere to go. Some were smart. Some were strong. Some… were special."
Lucien listened, his mind flashing back to Darius.
Michael's expression darkened. "One of them stood out the most—Darius."
Lucien's chest tightened.
"He was brilliant," Michael continued. "A fighter, a leader… but above all, he was loyal. He wasn't an experiment, not in my time. He was my most trusted commander."
Lucien clenched his fists.
His father… wasn't a monster.
But then, Michael's voice grew heavy.
"And then… everything changed."
---
The War That Changed Everything
"One day, our home was attacked. A foreign force, invading our city, killing indiscriminately."
Michael's voice shook slightly.
"I wanted to fight. But the children—they wouldn't let me."
Lucien could picture it—the young orphans, standing in front of their guardian, refusing to let him face the battle alone.
"They fought," Michael whispered. "They fought, and they won. And that was the birth of Vermilion Oath."
Lucien stayed silent.
This was not the story he expected.
---
Regret & Betrayal
Michael looked at Lucien, his old eyes filled with pain.
"But then," he murmured, "I made my greatest mistake."
Lucien already knew the answer.
"I trusted my son."
Viktor.
Michael closed his eyes. "I stepped down. I let him take over. And in doing so… I destroyed everything I built."
Lucien could hear the regret in his voice.
And for the first time… he saw Viktor not as a leader, but as a mistake.
---
Michael's Offer
Michael turned to him. "That's why I'm here."
Lucien narrowed his eyes.
"I want you to return to Vermilion Oath. To help me fix it."
Lucien's jaw tightened.
Return?
After everything?
After what they did to him?
He almost laughed. "You think I want to go back to that hell?"
Michael didn't flinch. "I think you care more than you admit."
Lucien looked away.
For a moment, he considered it.
Maybe he could restore it.
Maybe he could bring back what Darius fought for.
But then…
He remembered Evelyn.
---
Lucien's Choice
He thought of her smile.
Her voice.
The way she never left his side, even when he pushed her away.
And suddenly… the answer was clear.
He turned to Michael.
"No," he said.
Michael raised an eyebrow.
"I want to live," Lucien murmured. "I want to go back to school. I want to be with the person I love."
Michael stared at him.
And then, he laughed.
A deep, genuine laugh.
"You really are like your father."
Lucien… smiled.
For the first time in weeks.
---
A New Beginning
As Michael left, Lucien walked back to his apartment.
And there, waiting for him… was Evelyn.
She looked up at him, concerned.
He didn't speak.
He just walked forward and pulled her into his arms.
She froze. "Lucien?"
He chuckled softly. "Yeah… I think I'm okay now."
She buried her face against his chest, relieved.
And for the first time in his life…
Lucien Falkner chose happiness.
---
End of Chapter 62.