Lucas gripped his sword tightly, its cold steel firm in his hands. Without hesitation, he stepped into the forest, leaving behind the only home he had ever known. His heart was a storm of emotions—anger, determination, guilt—but he didn't look back. He couldn't.
His mother watched from the porch, her hands clenched into fists. She had known this day would come, but that didn't make it hurt any less.
"Lucas…" she whispered, taking a step forward.
And in that single step, the protective enchantment around their home shattered.
The air grew heavy.
A chill crawled up her spine.
Then—they appeared.
Figures cloaked in darkness, their movements silent as the grave. Dozens of masked warriors materialized from the shadows, their presence suffocating. The metal of their weapons glinted under the morning sun, a stark contrast to the ominous aura that clung to them.
Lucas' mother barely had time to react before they surrounded her.
Then, one of them stepped forward.
Noah.
His black cloak shifted unnaturally, dozens of grotesque, weeping eyes embedded in the fabric, their pupils swirling like living nightmares. The marks on his scarred face twisted as he smirked.
"You've run from us for long enough," he said, his voice cold as death. "The King is calling for you."
Lucas' mother staggered back, her breath caught in her throat.
"You can't take me." Her voice wavered, but her stance remained firm. "I told you before—I want nothing to do with this. Leave me and my son alone."
Noah's smirk widened.
"You still think you have a choice?" He tilted his head mockingly. "I'm not asking. I'm telling you—you're coming with us."
Her pulse pounded. She knew this was inevitable, but she couldn't—wouldn't—go without a fight.
"No," she spat.
Noah sighed, almost disappointed. Then, in an instant, his hand lashed out.
CRACK!
His slap struck her across the face with brutal force, sending her crashing to the ground. Her head hit the dirt, and the coppery taste of blood filled her mouth. A single crimson drop trickled from her lips.
Noah crouched beside her, his eerie cloak shifting like something alive.
"Don't make this harder than it needs to be," he murmured. "I could kill you right here. But the King wants you alive."
Lucas' mother clenched her teeth, fury igniting in her veins.
"You'll never take me alive!" she roared.
With a surge of power, she slammed her palms against the earth. The air around her crackled—magic surged.
"Thunderclap Barrage!"
BOOM!
A barrage of lightning bolts erupted in all directions, the sheer force of them shaking the ground. Thunder roared through the air as white-hot energy tore through the soldiers, sending them scattering.
Lucas, deep in the forest, felt the shockwave vibrate through the ground beneath him. His head snapped toward the sky, eyes widening.
"What was that?!" His heartbeat quickened. "Is something happening to Mom?!"
Without hesitation, he turned back—racing toward home.
But even as he ran, a terrible feeling gnawed at him.
Something was wrong.
Something was very, very wrong.
On the other side, Noah didn't even flinch as the powerful magic struck him. The crackling bolts of lightning sizzled against his cloak, but he remained standing—unmoved, untouched.
Lucas' mother gasped, her body trembling from exhaustion. She had put everything into that spell. But it wasn't enough.
She turned to run, her breath ragged, heart pounding—but before she could take more than two steps, a cold, iron grip clamped onto her wrist.
CRACK!
Noah slammed her to the ground.
A sharp cry of pain escaped her lips as she hit the dirt, her vision spinning. Blood trickled from her mouth, staining the ground beneath her.
Noah crouched down, his expression twisted with disdain. His eerie cloak, covered in countless weeping eyes, seemed to pulse with an unnatural energy.
"You've grown weak," he muttered, gripping her chin and forcing her to look up at him. "Pathetic. You, who once defied the King... Now look at you."
She coughed, struggling against his hold. "I don't care about the past," she rasped, "Let my son go! He knows nothing!"
Noah chuckled darkly. "We shall see."
Meanwhile—Lucas
From the distance, Lucas heard the scream.
His mother's voice.
His heart slammed against his ribs, and without a second thought, he took off at full speed. Trees blurred past him as his feet pounded against the earth.
"Please, no... Please let her be safe!"
The wind howled in his ears, but all he could hear was that single scream, echoing in his mind.
Elsewhere—Karin and the Team
Farther away, Karin and his team spotted the smoke rising into the sky. Steam curled into the air, an ominous signal that something was terribly wrong.
Karin narrowed his eyes. "Lucas was heading that way earlier. Something's happening."
Chloe swallowed hard. "Then we should go. If he's in danger—"
But before she could finish, Darian held up a hand, stopping them.
"No way. I'm not dying for him," he said bluntly. "If he's the guy we think he is... then why should we be worried? He can handle himself. We should just go home."
For the first time, Karin's usual smirk disappeared. His eyes darkened as he stepped toward Darian, his voice edged with steel.
"You really are an idiot."
Darian blinked. "What?"
"You're not just short-tempered," Karin said, his tone turning razor-sharp. "You have no heart either." He took another step forward, his voice dropping lower. "Did you forget? When we were about to die—when we had no way out—who saved us?"
Darian's mouth opened, but no words came out.
"Who fought beside us, even though it wasn't his fight?" Karin pressed. "Who stood his ground while we ran?"
Darian lowered his gaze.
"...Fine," he muttered. "I'll go. But only because he helped us first."
Karin's smirk returned—just barely. "That's more like it."
Without another word, they all took off toward Lucas' home, the rising smoke guiding their way.