Lucus and Mira sat quietly at a worn wooden table in the dimly lit tavern. The air was heavy with the scent of stale ale, and the chatter of other patrons barely reached them.
They had come to this town for answers, but instead, they were faced with more questions. The Nexus was still calling to Lucus, its dark whispers swirling in his mind, pulling him further away from the person he once was.
"Lucus, are you even listening?" Mira asked, frowning at him. She could sense something had changed in him, something unsettling.
Lucus glanced up, his eyes colder than she remembered. "Yeah, I heard you."
Before Mira could respond, the door to the tavern swung open with a loud creak. The lively atmosphere suddenly grew tense as a tall figure entered. His presence alone demanded attention.
It was Erevan.
Lucus straightened in his seat, instinctively placing a hand on his dagger under the table. Mira shifted nervously beside him.
Erevan's eyes locked onto Lucus, and without a word, he walked toward them. His calm, almost emotionless face showed no sign of hesitation.
He was a man on a mission, and that mission was clear—eliminate Lucus and Mira.
"Lucus Graves," Erevan said, his voice low but clear. "You've made too much noise. The higher-ups have sent me to deal with you."
Lucus smirked, a hint of arrogance creeping into his voice. "So they're scared of me, huh? Sending someone like you to kill me? Pathetic."
Mira's heart raced as she stood beside Lucus. "Who is this guy, Lucus? What does he want?"
Erevan ignored her, his focus entirely on Lucus. "You've attracted attention with that Nexus power of yours. Too much attention. My orders are to end this now."
Lucus rose from his seat, his eyes filled with a dangerous glint. "You think you can kill me?"
.....
Before Erevan could respond, the atmosphere in the tavern shifted. Glasses rattled on tables, and a few patrons quickly got up to leave.
The room felt charged with energy as if the very air around them was ready to explode.
Mira's voice trembled slightly. "Lucus, we should go. This isn't worth it."
But Lucus didn't move. His gaze was locked on Erevan, and his hand tightened on the hilt of his dagger. "I've been waiting for something like this."
Erevan's eyes narrowed. Without warning, he launched a bolt of lightning toward Lucus. The tavern erupted in chaos as people screamed and scattered, tables flipping over in the rush to escape.
Lucus dodged the strike just in time, drawing his dagger. "Is that all you've got?" he taunted, his voice dripping with confidence. But deep down, a part of him knew Erevan was no ordinary opponent.
Erevan didn't respond with words. Instead, he flicked his wrist, sending a wave of fire toward Lucus, who quickly countered by tapping into the Nexus energy within him.
The dark power surged, wrapping around his body like a cloak of shadows. He dodged and weaved through Erevan's attacks, his dagger sparking as it clashed with Erevan's elemental blasts.
The fight moved outside the tavern and into the streets. Mira followed, watching helplessly as the two clashed with brutal force.
The sound of crackling electricity filled the air as Erevan summoned storm clouds above, lightning bolts raining down. Lucus danced between the strikes, his agility and growing power pushing him further.
"You're fast," Erevan said, his voice calm despite the intensity of the battle. "But speed alone won't save you."
Lucus grinned, his dark aura pulsating with energy. "We'll see about that."
With a roar, Lucus lunged at Erevan, the Nexus energy crackling around him. His strikes were vicious, precise, but Erevan blocked each one effortlessly. As
As they clashed, Lucus began to realize that Erevan was more than just a skilled fighter he was toying with him.
.
.
Seeing Lucus struggling, Mira couldn't stand by any longer. She drew her sword and charged at Erevan, hoping to create an opening for Lucus.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she swung her blade, aiming for Erevan's side.
But Erevan was too fast.
With a swift motion, Erevan turned and drove his blade into Mira's chest. She gasped, her eyes wide with shock as the life drained from her.
The world seemed to freeze for a moment as she stumbled back, her hand reaching for Lucus.
"Mira!" Lucus yelled, his voice filled with a rare emotion desperation. But it was too late.
Mira fell to the ground, her sword clattering beside her.
Lucus' anger exploded as he launched himself at Erevan, fueled by the dark energy of the Nexus. His strikes were wild, reckless, but Erevan was unfazed.
With a single, powerful blow, Erevan knocked Lucus to the ground, his foot pressing down on Lucus' chest.
"This ends now," Erevan said, raising his sword for the killing blow.
But just as Erevan's blade came down, Lucus' body shimmered with dark energy. In an instant, he was gone teleported away by the Nexus.
Erevan stood over the spot where Lucus had just been, his expression unreadable. He lowered his sword and glanced at Mira's lifeless body.
.
.
Kneeling beside Mira, Erevan felt somethingan energy signature, faint but unmistakable. He placed his hand over her chest, sensing the same strange but similar power that had drawn him to Lucus in the first place.
"Interesting," he murmured, a small smirk appearing on his face. There was something special about Mira, something worth taking.
Without hesitation, Erevan lifted her body and disappeared into the night.
...
Lucus, now alone and far from the battlefield, sat on the cold ground, panting heavily.
His thoughts raced, a mixture of anger and confusion swirling in his mind. Mira was dead, and Erevan had bested him.
But deep down, the Nexus whispered promises of power, of revenge.
.
.
And Lucus? Lucus was ready to listen.....