At home, 21:55:
"Where have you been again? With Elizabeth?" Henry asked with concern.
"No, I went to work," Lucian replied, pulling out five valka notes. He hesitated to reveal the valling note, wary of exposing his hidden ability.
"Five valka notes!? At this rate, you might even out-earn me," Henry exclaimed in surprise.
He added, "I'm genuinely happy for you. Are you hungry? I'll cook us something."
"Yes, please. I'm starving," Lucian said, his hand gently rubbing his empty stomach.
The two brothers sat down to eat. Lucian, feeling the weariness from the day's work, later retired to his room. Before drifting off, he made a mental checklist for the next day.
Tomorrow, buy cigarettes, get the cane...
As he slipped into sleep, envisioning a dinner with Elizabeth, her eyes suddenly turned pure white, and he found himself in another lucid dream.
This is... Either Selena or Lucian's memories. It's probably the latter. There's still a chance that I'm simply lucid dreaming.
The white-eyed Elizabeth drew closer, her gentle hands caressing Lucian's face briefly.
What on earth... It does feel good, but am I having a wet lucid dream!?
Then, Elizabeth's form fragmented into a thousand pieces, and Lucian was transported into a series of illusory scenes.
He delved deeper into the original Lucian's memories, gaining insights into his personality, routines, and public demeanor.
He witnessed his challenging childhood, shaped by the absence of a father figure to impart paternal wisdom. This void drove the original Lucian toward focused study.
Scenes of him playing with Henry in an unfamiliar field outside the town unfolded, revealing glimpses of their bond.
Next, he saw his mother, Lucian kneeling by her side. Her pain-lined face rested on the bed, likely in Lucian's own room.
"Son. I trust you to carry on the family legacy. Be wary of others. I love yo-."
Her eyes shut, her hand clasping Lucian's, growing colder with each passing moment. She succumbed to illness.
"I love you too, mother." said original Lucian, his face full of tears.
Mother... Well, she's not technically my mother, but in a way, she is.
What could that family legacy be? Is it tied to the hidden chamber, or something more?
Well, it might not matter now. He's gone, and discovering it will likely come with time. Besides, I'm happy with my current life. It's normal, except for the night vision.
With the illusionary images dissipating, Lucian resumed his regular dream narrative.
...
In the morning, genuinely intrigued by the memories of the previous night, Lucian turned to Henry. "I had a dream last night. We were playing in some field outside this town. Did that actually happen?"
He figured that since the original Lucian was just a child back then, this question likely wouldn't lead to any awkwardness, as people tend to forget such details as they grow older.
Henry, taken aback by Lucian's sudden recollection, nodded. "Yes, it did. It was a while after our father passed away. We were still living in Montest Village at that time."
"I don't think I remember that," Lucian admitted.
"It's perfectly normal not to recall, especially considering how young you were. Frankly, I'm impressed that you have some subconscious recollection of those times," Henry remarked.
Lucian nodded, a hint of confusion crossing his face. He thought,
So they lived in a village before moving here? What made them move?
He decided not to delve further into the other scenes he witnessed in his dream, holding onto those memories for himself.
...
Lucian first bought a pack of cigarettes from the same vendor he had visited before, spending one valka.
He entered a carriage, paying only 1 valka, and soon arrived at the store where he had previously reserved the cane.
It's finally time. I'll look awesome with it. I wonder what Elizabeth would think if she saw me walking while holding this beautiful cane.
"Hello. I previously reserved a cane here, under the name Lucian Wright," he politely greeted the shop clerk.
The shop clerk returned the greeting, opened a table drawer, and retrieved a medium-sized book where he found Lucian's name and order.
"I'll be right back," the clerk informed, then went to retrieve Lucian's cane.
"How much is it?" inquired Lucian, hoping it wouldn't be too expensive.
"It'll be 6 valka notes," answered the shop clerk.
Whoah. Why didn't I ask about the price when I first came in here? How dumb can I be?
Lucian handed over 6 valka notes to the shop clerk and offered a forced smile, then exited. Internally, he was fuming, angry at himself. Now he only had 7 valka notes and 3 sunts left.
Realizing he had spent far too much, he decided to walk back home. After a brisk 4-minute walk, he chose to take a shortcut through a narrow passage with connected houses on each side to save time.
As he got lost in thought, a sudden whistle filled the air.
Whoosh
A gust of wind brushed against him, sending an unexpected shiver down Lucian's spine. Then, a voice he knew all too well reached his ears.
It was Selena's. He couldn't believe it. She was back.
She urgently warned Lucian, "Get ready. He'll approach from behind. Move left in 10 seconds."
I'm in danger again, f*ck.
Lucian's thoughts were interrupted as he counted the seconds. He was a mere second late.
A sharp whooshing sound pierced the air. Lucian dodged, but still felt a searing pain in his back, the force creating a small, eye-sized hole. He couldn't suppress a cry of pain as he turned to face the assailant.
The man, dressed in an unusual brown suit, looked about 40, empty-handed.
"You killed him. I don't know how you did it, but you're going to pay for it. Barts don't let things just go," the man's voice resonated deeply.
Without a word, Lucian knew he needed to defend himself. He threw his cane at the man, then swiftly leaped left and right, evading any potential bullets.
The man moved with an uncanny speed, closing the distance with inhuman agility. With a powerful punch, he left five bloody holes in Lucian's stomach.
Gasping in pain, Lucian struggled to comprehend the sudden, brutal attack. He was on the verge of death, one blow away from oblivion.
The man stood over him, knuckles stained with blood, accusing, "You. A weakling like you managed to kill a member of my family."
In his desperation, Lucian whispered a silent prayer to Selena, "Selena, I pray to you. Help me."
Weakened, Lucian fell to the stone surface painting it crimson. The man, poised to strike the final blow, suddenly faced a small black orb with glowing gray outlines hurtling toward Lucian. Upon impact, Lucian felt a surge of renewal as his wounds rapidly healed.
The man seethed with rage. Lucian acted swiftly, seizing the man's legs and sending him crashing to the ground. Rising, he grabbed the man's neck, rose him up and slammed him against a nearby wall, his eyes completely dark, almost demonic.
"Who are you? What is your goal? If you don't answer me, I'll kill you," Lucian's voice rumbled.
Terrified, the man stammered, "Which believer are you..."
"I asked the questions, answer them!" Lucian's voice rose in intensity.
"I am Allen Bart, a member of the Bart family. I was sent here to kill you and bring your body back to us. I don't know anything else, believe me..."
Overwhelmed by the sudden surge of power that had healed him, Lucian forcefully twisted the man's neck, ending his threat.
His senses gradually returned to normal. He gazed down at the lifeless body sprawled before him.
"What just happened... I was consumed by rage, and I... I killed him... I couldn't control myself."
Lucian knew he had to leave the scene swiftly so he took the cane and hastened back home. Shock still fueled his mind and body, making him unable to think.
...
Eleven cigarettes filled the ashtray in Lucian's room, a silent testament to his current state of mind. He sat by his desk, engulfed in a swirl of sadness, anger, and self-hatred.
"You turned me into a monster."
"No, Lucian. I had to grant you one more power so that you could survive. It was a matter of life or death. The aftereffects you experienced won't occur again. I granted you the power prematurely, and it led to that outburst," Selena explained empathetically, speaking more than usual.
"I need an explanation then. What is it that you require of me? Why are you doing this? I had a good life here, I was happy. Now, all I can think about is how I've become a ruthless killer. The first time I killed, it was in self-defense. But this... this was an execution. I wish you had never granted me any powers. I wish I had never set foot in this world. Is that also your doing? I wish you didn't exist!" Lucian's words were heavy with emotion.
Silence filled the room and Selena finally answered.
"I want to save you. Truly. Can you trust me? The two people you've killed were 'Believers'. There are both good and bad ones in this world. You took down the bad ones. Believers gain power by making a pact with a deity, and they can use it for either good or ill. If I hadn't intervened, you'd likely be dead by now, at the hands of the Bart family members," Selena's voice held a note of genuine concern for Lucian's well-being.
Lucian, overcome by a whirlwind of emotions, gripped his hair tightly and swayed, his voice choked with turmoil.
"This is madness. You're asking for trust, yet you've always kept me in the dark. I never needed saving, and I would've preferred death over becoming an executioner, even for someone wicked," Lucian's words quivered.
A heavy silence fell, enveloping the room. Soon, Lucian's eyes turned a stark, otherworldly white, pulling him into that enigmatic realm once more...