Alyssa wore a platinum black pantsuit that fit her like a glove, her favorite suit she needed to be comfortable, she needed to do what was necessary for the sake of her family even if it meant going against her father. She braided her long pitch-black hair into a long braid that reached the waist placing it over her shoulder threading it between her index and middle finger a habit she picked up since she was young and her mother braided it for her. "I need to do this otherwise we'll be stuck in this cycle forever" she reassured herself as she stepped into an elevator at the central offices of Bailon Inc. Several people waved at her walking by reciprocating their advances with polite smiles and greetings.
"Did you hear about the incident at Carmile intersection.."
"No what happened?"
"apparently a lion appeared out of nowhere and attacked several people"
"Really!damn zoo if they cant do their jobs properly then…"
"You think it escaped from a zoo?" "where else could a lion come from in the middle of this big city?"
She caught glimpses of people conversing, ignoring them she went into an elevator and pressed on the button, she took out her phone opening a message thread between her and Liam, he'd been silent for over an hour now "Hope your okay" she whispered holding the phone tight as the elevator went from floor to floor no one else entered. "Thank the heavens, I am already nervous as it is I don't need someone trying to make small talk in here."
The elevator stopped at the last floor and pinged open into a spacious foyer.
Simon Bailon sat on a leather brown padded office chair behind an extensive glass desk, typing on a thin silver laptop, some documents next to it along with a thick white mug Alyssa hadn't seen before 'must have missed it.' she thought.
He looked at her and smiled though it did not reach his ever serious piercing blue eyes which combined with the silver blonde hair somehow made him handsome even as he got older,
"Alyssa my darling, what can I do-"
"I will do the talking!" she exclaimed marching
"Please do" he replied still smiling, "Ever since I was a child I admired you…." she stopped in front of the desk the morning sun accentuating her perturbed features that otherwise would be composed
"when I was younger I always saw you as this scary, strong, wise, intelligent nice person, you were my hero growing up I couldn't wait to work for you and someday…" she stuttered "even take over the company." staring intently at him "Until I found out what kind of person you are and the countless people sacrificed in the Bailon name, people killed, silenced and hurt by you" her voice rose "this dynasty built on blood and bones of others. So I decided to leave, me and my family would never be apart of such a legacy that's why I didn't tell you about my marriage or even pregnancy two important events that even after you found out decided to gloss over, ignore and I was fine with that then you proclaimed me as your 'heir' throwing me and my family into the chaos and danger that comes with that title. My son your grandchild was almost killed as a result!" Alyssa suppressed tears recalling when she got the news of Michael and Sally being kidnapped.
The fact that he barely seemed affected smiling as if everything she just said meant nothing angered her more "Do you even care what all of this is doing to us?" she waved around us seeing his usual icy amused smile she sighed "I guess it doesn't matter anymore, does it?" blinking out tears
"Today is the day you leave us alone once and for all!" she pulled out her phone, a new message from her Liam hung on the notification she smiled "Right now my husband has retrieved irrevocable evidence linking you to the CEO of Bailon Inc. To several crimes, one word is all it would take to bring you and the company down unless you let me, Michael, and Liam leave and cut ties with us forever." breathing hard Alyssa stared down at her father who never left his desk taking sips from the thick mug, a layer of silence enveloped between them 'Why the heck is he so calm he knows I would never lie about something like this could he' her mind run wild 'He would never hurt me, would he?'
"Then release it." he spoke coolly placing the cup on a saucer "Wha..." Alyssa nearly lost her composure " I should have but the truth is Michael is already too tangled up in this if I release it he will also be harmed, however, if you do not relent, I shall do what I have to even if it is unpleasant."
"Is that how you feel huh?"
"What-"
"My dear you spoke your mind now it's my turn." Simon unconcernedly pushed his chair back standing silently "Dear daughter, do you think this dynasty was built up on rainbows and unicorns?" his firm tone never letting up into a shout or anything "Well I guess letting you go was a mistake in itself, dear this dynasty runs deep and wider than you can imagine it's not something you can escape simply by running away. From the moment you were born to the day you die the dynasty is within your very blood Alyssa, Michael, even Liam this is a fate neither of you can escape."
He walked silently around the desk his blue suit flawlessly perfect and stopped next to Alyssa "You don't understand this but soon you will young CEO."
"Huh?" Alyssa moved backward feeling off balance 'Something's not right, what does he mean' her thoughts derailed when she noticed the trickle of blood flowing down the sides of his lips onto his coat jacket
"Did you think you could do whatever you want without me knowing dear daughter?" he laughed maniacally "The dynasty is a beating heart that extends past everything even life," Simon shouted his blue eyes caught on a darker shade
What was it you said Alyssa 'I shall do what I have to even if it is unpleasant.' well if my life is what threatens the Bailon dynasty then I shall do what I have to as well darling daughter. ACK!" he coughed out a mouthful of blood "Good luck… Aly...ssa" he struggled to speak
Alyssa stared as Simon clutched his chest and fell struggling to fall to the smooth floor before going completely pale and deathly still.
Somewhere far from Carmile intersection….
Michael woke up feeling more refreshed and lighter than he ever felt in his young life the sun hung bright in the sky he lay face up in a backyard of some house away from the busy streets silence encompassed his surroundings "Residential area how did I get here" he rose up tearing off the white tattered shirt he wore "Oh I got muscular!" he stretched his arms,"
"What's that?" he crawled over to a small round ball barely bigger than an ordinary egg it glowed bright golden "I can sense celestial energy within this thing "Oh right I remember that shadowy man holding it above me before I went unconscious," he ruffled his hair taking out stray grass "yes that man must be the one who took me away did he beat that monster" Michael shivered at the idea he had barely held on against the chimera had it not been the stranger's intervention he would be dead "But just how powerful is he?"
He grabbed the round ball it vibrated in his hand "The energy inside this thing just got wilder like it's trying to break out." small fissures started to web on its surface "Well I can't let the power fade away like with the giant snake, I must absorb it entirely and the best way to do that is" he gobbled up the glowing ball into his mouth surprisingly he felt no resistance it dissolved into a tasteless watery substance going spreading throughout his body until it was completely gone from his mouth "is that it I felt like something else should have happened." every part of his body shone in a golden luminescence lighting up the entire block of course everyone was out so no one else witnessed it.
"Shoot it's not dying down! Is it not supposed to decrease on its own like with the snake nor is the energy tearing itself from my body."
"No Matter I didn't feel this kind of Euphoria before my whole body is bristling with pleasure." fifteen minutes later the light decreased down to a weak glow spread all over his body rippling from hair to his bare feet "Well this is not ideal but I do control light Crystal shroud!" light crystallized around his body like a second skin making him invisible instantly "the energy consumption for invisibility now is almost negligible,"
he felt celestial aura from under his skin concentrate on his back stretching from the tailbone to the nape of his neck, then detract outward forming over 1.5 meters long black gold veined bat-like wings one on either side, light crystallized along with them as they formed making them invisible as well.
"Isn't this convenient" he smiled widely "Time to find you crimson-eyed person!" then as if he'd been flying his whole life Michael took to the skies.