Night had fallen by the time Victor, Nereus, and Salvatore stood on the balcony overlooking the city. The tension in the air was palpable, thick with the promise of violence.
Down below, the mansion was swarming with Victor's men, preparing for what was about to happen.Nereus watched as the guards armed themselves, their faces set in grim determination.
The city beyond was deceptively quiet, the calm before the storm. He could feel the pulse of the ocean in his blood, a faint connection to his underwater home, but now it was distant. Here, on land, his place was beside Victor.
Victor's expression was unreadable, his eyes scanning the horizon, waiting for the inevitable. He had been like this ever since Salvatore delivered the news: Luca's men were coming, and tonight would be the night they made their move.Salvatore stepped forward, his voice low and serious.
"We've reinforced the perimeter, but Luca's men are smart. They won't come in guns blazing. They'll try to find a way in from the inside."Victor nodded, his eyes narrowing.
"I expected as much. We need to be ready for anything."Nereus felt his pulse quicken. "What do you need me to do?"Victor turned to him, his gaze softening for just a moment.
"Stay close to me. This isn't like before, Nereus. It's not just a handful of men. This is a war."Nereus squared his shoulders, refusing to back down.
"I understand that. But I'm not hiding. I'll fight with you."Victor held his gaze, something like pride flickering in his eyes. "Alright. But don't take any unnecessary risks. Promise me."
"I promise," Nereus said, though he knew in his heart that promises were hard to keep in the middle of battle.
As they descended from the balcony and moved toward the main entrance of the mansion, Nereus couldn't shake the feeling of dread creeping up his spine.
He had never been part of something like this before—a real, full-scale attack. His only experience with conflict had been the skirmish on Victor's boat, and even that had rattled him. But this was different. This was about survival.The mansion was fortified like a fortress.
Armed guards took their positions at every corner, while Victor's lieutenants coordinated strategies, barking orders into their radios. The atmosphere was electric with tension.Victor led Nereus through the house, speaking quietly as they walked.
"Luca's not just coming for territory. He wants revenge. He's going to come for me, and if he can't get to me, he'll come for you."Nereus nodded.
"Then we'll make sure he doesn't get the chance."
They reached the command room, where Salvatore was standing over a table covered in maps of the city and the mansion grounds. "Our scouts report movement on the outskirts," he said, his voice clipped.
"They're positioning themselves for a strike."Victor's eyes darkened.
"We don't let them get that far. I want the front perimeter reinforced. Double the guards."Salvatore nodded and turned to give the orders, but before he could, an explosion rocked the mansion.
The ground shook beneath their feet, and the windows rattled violently. Dust fell from the ceiling, and the lights flickered for a moment before stabilizing.Nereus's heart leapt into his throat.
"What was that?"
"They've breached the outer wall," Salvatore said grimly. "They're here."Victor's jaw clenched, his entire body coiled with tension.
"Everyone, to your stations. Now."
Chaos erupted as the mansion's defenses kicked into high gear. Guards rushed to their posts, weapons drawn, while Salvatore barked orders into his radio, directing men to strategic points around the property.Victor grabbed Nereus's arm, pulling him close.
"Stay with me. Don't leave my side."
"I won't," Nereus said, his voice steady despite the fear gnawing at the edges of his mind.
They moved through the mansion like shadows, Victor leading the way with precision and purpose. The sounds of gunfire echoed through the hallways, distant but growing closer. Luca's men had made their move, and now it was a race against time.
When they reached the front of the mansion, Victor's men were already engaging the enemy. Bullets flew through the air, and the crack of gunfire filled the night.
Nereus could see figures moving in the shadows, slipping through the gaps in the walls, trying to breach the mansion's defenses.Victor's eyes scanned the battlefield, his mind calculating every move.
"They're trying to flank us," he muttered. "Salvatore, send men to the west side. They'll try to breach through the garden entrance."
Salvatore nodded and relayed the command, but before they could react, more explosions rocked the building.
The front gate was blown apart, and Luca's men poured through the breach like a flood.Nereus's heart pounded in his chest as he watched the chaos unfold. Victor drew his gun, his face a mask of cold determination.
"This is it," he said, his voice low. "Stay behind me."
But before Nereus could respond, a familiar voice rang out through the smoke and chaos.
"Victor!"Nereus's blood ran cold as Luca stepped into view, his eyes gleaming with malice.
He was flanked by a group of heavily armed men, but it was the look on Luca's face that sent a chill down Nereus's spine.Victor stiffened beside him, his grip on his gun tightening.
"Luca."Luca smirked, his voice dripping with venom.
"It's been a long time, old friend."
Victor's expression was unreadable, but Nereus could feel the tension radiating off him.
This wasn't just another battle. This was personal.Luca's eyes flicked to Nereus, and his smile widened.
"So this is the one you've been hiding. The little merman." His voice was mocking, cruel.
"You've always had a weakness for strays."
Victor stepped forward, his gun aimed squarely at Luca.
"Leave him out of this. This is between you and me."Luca chuckled darkly, raising his hands in a mock gesture of surrender.
"Oh, I intend to settle this with you, Victor. But first, I think it's time we finish what we started all those years ago."Nereus's pulse raced as he realized what was about to happen.
This wasn't just a battle. It was a reckoning—a final showdown between Victor and Luca, a confrontation that had been building for years.Victor's eyes narrowed.
"Let's end this, Luca. Once and for all."
The two men stood facing each other, the weight of their shared past hanging heavy in the air.
The world around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them—old friends turned enemies, standing on the brink of destruction.
And in that moment, Nereus knew there was no turning back. The final battle had begun.