Chapter 34 – Shadows in the Night
The night air was still, moonlight casting a gentle silver glow across the quiet neighborhood. Liam sat on the plush rug inside Lucas's living room, chuckling as Kaela flicked a game token at him.
"You're seriously the worst at this," Kaela teased.
"Hey! You cheated, admit it!"
Lucas's house was strangely warm and peaceful, the atmosphere so different from the chaotic life Liam had gotten used to. When Lucas had begged Dreck to let Liam stay over, Dreck was hesitant. But after some back-and-forth and seeing the hopeful look on Liam's face, he reluctantly agreed. On one condition—he'd be watching from the rooftop.
And so he sat there, crouched on the shingles, the night breeze tugging at his coat. Alert. Guarded. Watching.
Footsteps approached behind him. Lucas.
"You don't have to be so cold all the time," Lucas said casually, folding his arms.
"What do you want?" Dreck asked, not looking at him.
"I just came to talk," Lucas replied, eyes scanning the horizon. "There's something I noticed. Why are you leading Liam down this path?"
"Because it's the path he's meant to walk," Dreck replied simply.
"No, I mean… after you've trained him—what then?"
"That's none of your business," Dreck said, voice suddenly icy.
Lucas's tone shifted. "I think I can help. But only if you trust me."
Dreck turned to face him finally. "How?"
Lucas exhaled, becoming serious. "Since you want the truth, I'll tell you everything."
"About what?"
Lucas hesitated. "I am a—"
Suddenly, they both stood at once, instincts flaring. Their eyes met. No words. Just a nod.
And in the blink of an eye—they vanished.
Their movements were sharp and seamless. A twist of their feet, a sudden compression of their knees, and an intense surge of Aether underfoot. The tiles on the rooftop cracked slightly from the force. Then came a burst of silence—like reality hiccupped—followed by two shadows leaping like lightning bolts into the living room.
They landed silently. But Kaela and Liam were already standing, eyes wide, bodies angled low. Ready. Alert.
"Woah," Liam muttered. "What just happened?"
Before either of the adults could answer, four black shadows stepped from the corners of the room like phantoms, their figures wrapped in tight, shifting veils.
"The Black Veil…" Dreck muttered. "Back so soon?"
"We expected you eventually," Lucas added, cracking his neck.
The assassins didn't speak. They dashed forward in perfect sync—two targeting Dreck and Lucas, two surging at Liam and Kaela. Chaos ignited.
Dreck blocked a blade with his forearm guard and drove his elbow into his attacker's gut. Lucas spun, catching a foot with his palm before launching the enemy through a side table. Liam grunted, narrowly dodging a strike, while Kaela parried with her arm, barely keeping up.
"Hey, Dreck," Lucas shouted, dodging another strike. "Don't want them wrecking my place. Let's end this outside."
"Fine by me."
Dreck and Lucas suddenly locked eyes with their opponents. And then—
They tapped their feet sharply against the ground, spun in opposite directions, then clapped their palms against their enemies' chests. A flare of Aether erupted beneath them like a ripple, and in a sudden vertical blur—they vanished through an instantaneous, high-speed movement known as Phantom Step.
"Woah!" Liam gasped.
Kaela grinned. "Guess we have to do that too."
"Yeah. Let's try it."
They mimicked the motions—foot pivot, knee drive, synchronized Aether burst. They disappeared in a flicker of light and shadow, vanishing with their opponents through sheer instinct and synchronization.
Outside, still within the fenced courtyard, Lucas and Dreck stood calmly, their attackers sprawled at their feet.
Liam and Kaela appeared moments later, sliding to a stop, their two opponents flipping midair and landing behind them.
"I knew you could pull that off," Dreck said, folding his arms.
"Yeah… we just tried and got it!" Liam said, breathless but exhilarated.
"Good. Now here's what happens next," Dreck said, pointing at the four assassins regrouping.
"You two… will take them down. By yourselves."
"Wait—what?!" Liam exclaimed. "You're kidding, right?"
"You can't do it?" Dreck asked coolly.
Kaela stepped forward, cracking her knuckles. "Hmph. If you can't handle two, I'll take all four myself. You can sit and cry."
"This time, I'm not losing," she added with fire in her voice.
Liam narrowed his eyes. "Tch… fine. Guess I'm joining the party too."
Kaela stepped ahead of Liam, her eyes locked onto the four black-clad assassins. Her breathing slowed. The tension in her muscles faded, replaced by something sharper—controlled. Intentional.
Then she moved her right foot back, angled her left shoulder forward, and slowly raised her arms in a peculiar form. Her fingers curled just slightly, and her body lowered—not in a standard combat stance, but something more ancient. Fluid, yet dangerous.
Dreck's eyes widened.
Lucas froze, eyebrows raised in disbelief.
"That stance…" Dreck said, stunned.
The moment Kaela completed the form, Liam instinctively jumped two steps back, eyes wide. His body moved before his mind caught up, reacting to the sheer danger radiating from that stance. A bead of sweat slid down his temple. Every part of him screamed caution
Lucas added, voice quiet but sharp, "It can't be."