The air was thick with silence, as Luci stood in what used to be a forest. The once-vibrant trees, lush green grass, and buzzing wildlife were nowhere to be seen. Instead, a large hole yawned in the center of the now empty, barren land. Ash and dust swirled, carried by a faint wind. The very life of the forest had been drained, and nothing but desolation remained.
Luci's cold gaze swept over the wasteland. His mind was calm, but there was a deep well of darkness within him, one that couldn't be seen from the outside. His chains rattled slightly as he adjusted his posture, but no movement disturbed the deadly quiet.
Suddenly, a shuffle behind him drew his attention. Martina stumbled forward, her forehead bleeding, her eyes wild with fury. She looked nothing like the confident warrior . Her grip on her dagger tightened, and despite the tremble in her hands, she tried to stand tall in front of Luci.
"I'll kill you!" she spat, voice hoarse. "And the demons... they'll finish you off!"
Luci raised an eyebrow, his expression as cold as ever. He didn't flinch as Martina took a step forward, holding her dagger in front of her. She looked at him with a strange glimmer of hope in her eyes, thinking she had him figured out.
*He won't hit a woman,* she thought. *He's a man—he'll hesitate.*
That fleeting hope was crushed in the next second. Luci moved so quickly she didn't have time to react. His hand shot out, grabbing her by the throat. Martina gasped, her eyes wide with terror, the dagger slipping from her fingers and falling to the ground with a soft thud.
"You think I won't hurt you because you're a woman?" Luci's voice was calm but laced with menace. His grip on her throat tightened just enough to make her wince in pain. "You misunderstand me. I believe in equality—for all races, genders, and people. Anyone can walk with another, and anyone can die at the hands of another. No exceptions."
Martina's mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Her eyes rolled back in fear, and her body went limp in his grasp. Luci sighed, letting go of her throat. She collapsed on the ground, unconscious.
"Pathetic," Luci muttered, kicking her limp form aside with disgust. "How am I supposed to kill someone who can't even stay awake?"
Suddenly, the distant sound of horse hooves echoed in the wasteland. Luci's eyes narrowed, and he turned his head slightly, spotting the knights approaching. His mind raced. If they found him standing over Martina's unconscious body, it would raise too many questions. He needed to disappear—fast.
His gaze shifted to the lake, where Daniel and Brianna were lying unconscious near the shore. Without a second thought, Luci leaped into the water, submerging himself just enough to appear as though he had been knocked out like the others.
The knights arrived moments later, their horses slowing as they approached the water's edge. The lead knight dismounted, his expression a mixture of shock and confusion as he looked around the area.
"What happened here?" he murmured, stepping forward.
"Over here!" one of the knights called, spotting Daniel and Brianna lying unconscious by the lake. "We've found them!"
The knights rushed to the shore, pulling Daniel and Brianna out of the water. They were still unconscious but breathing. One of the knights scanned the area, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Where's Luci?" he asked.
"Here," another knight said, pointing toward the lake where Luci floated, motionless. "He's unconscious like the others."
The knights carefully pulled Luci's limp form from the lake and hoisted him onto one of the horses. As they rode back to Warrior's Keep, Luci kept his eyes shut, pretending to be unconscious, though he could feel every jolt of the horse's movements beneath him. His mind remained sharp, calculating his next move.
The great stone walls of Warrior's Keep loomed ahead as the knights returned. At the entrance, Brian stood waiting, his sharp eyes scanning the scene with concern.
"Where did you find them?" Brian asked as the knights dismounted and began carrying the unconscious bodies inside.
"By the lake," the lead knight answered. "But... the area around it was completely barren. There was no forest. Just empty land."
Brian's expression darkened. "Empty land? That was a forest—mere hours ago."
The knight shook his head. "I'm sorry, sir, but there's no forest left. It's all gone."
Brian frowned but nodded, gesturing for the knights to continue. "Take them inside. I've already sent for doctors from the kingdom. We need to get them checked as soon as possible."
As the knights carried Luci into one of the rooms, he cracked his eyes open slightly, just enough to see where they were taking him. The room was dimly lit, but he recognized the familiar banners of the Warrior's Keep hanging on the walls. He quickly shut his eyes again as the knights laid him on the bed.
Moments later, a doctor entered the room, his footsteps soft as he approached Luci's bed. The doctor reached out to examine Luci, but before he could touch him, Luci sat up, his eyes gleaming with annoyance.
"There's no need," Luci said, his voice cold. "I'm fine."
The doctor blinked in surprise but shook his head. "It's my job to examine you."
"I said, there's no need," Luci repeated, irritation creeping into his voice.
The doctor hesitated but stood his ground. "I have to insist, sir. It's for your own safety."
Luci's eyes darkened, and for a brief moment, his hand twitched toward the chains at his side. *If this fool keeps pushing... I'll crush his skull without hesitation.* The thought lingered in his mind, but before he could act, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in," the doctor called, stepping back.
The door opened, and Brian entered, his presence filling the room with authority. "Doctor, I need to speak with Luci. Alone."
The doctor nodded and quickly left, leaving Luci and Brian alone.
Brian pulled a chair up to the bedside and sat down, turning the chair backward in a casual yet imposing manner. He rested his arms on the backrest, his eyes fixed on Luci.
"What happened out there?" Brian asked, his voice low. "The knights said they didn't see any forest. Just... nothing."
Luci shrugged, leaning back against the pillows with a nonchalant expression. "I wouldn't know. I was unconscious."
Brian's eyes narrowed slightly. "Unconscious? What knocked you out?"
Luci smirked. "Heaven's Enemies. Demons. They were weak."
Brian raised an eyebrow. "Weak? Brianna and Daniel could barely hold their own against them, and you're telling me they were weak?"
Luci then said awkwardly. "That's because um ehh ."