Tom woke up the next morning, drained both physically and mentally. The encounter with Chris the night before still weighed heavily on his mind. As he got dressed, he kept replaying the conversation over and over, trying to find a solution, a way to keep his younger brother from the fate that seemed to loom over him like a storm cloud.
His shift at the knights' headquarters awaited, and though it had become routine, Tom found it harder each day to mask the anger bubbling beneath his surface. Each face he saw, each knight in their gleaming armor, was a reminder of everything that had been taken from him. But today, a different kind of tension filled the air, something more than just his usual resentment.
When Tom arrived at the headquarters, there was an unusual buzz in the air. Knights moved swiftly through the halls, speaking in hushed tones, their faces grave. Something was happening. Tom slipped into his role, careful to blend into the background, just as he always did.
As he passed through the lower corridors, he overheard fragments of conversations.
"…another attack…"
"…this killer needs to be stopped…"
"…it's getting worse. No one is safe…"
Tom's heart raced. The chaos he had sown was starting to take its toll. The knights were becoming desperate, fearful. The balance of power was shifting, just as he had intended.
But with that fear came the risk of exposure.
---
Later in the day, as Tom was cleaning one of the upper halls, he was approached by a familiar face: Cedric, one of the senior knights. His sharp gaze fixed on Tom, who instinctively tensed.
"Crowley," Cedric said, his voice clipped. "A word."
Tom kept his expression neutral, nodding and following Cedric into a side room. The moment the door closed behind them, Cedric turned, his face a mask of suspicion.
"It's not like I am trying to accuse you or anything, but there are some things I have witness you doing, that I think is very creepy, besides I am a very big fan of your siblings, I know your family well, I respect them a lot, that is why I am saying all this"
"There's been a lot of talk lately," Cedric continued, his tone low. "About this killer running around, taking out knights. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"
Tom felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise, but he forced himself to remain calm. "I just clean the floors, sir," he replied, his voice steady. "I don't get involved in… whatever that is."
Cedric studied him for a long moment, his eyes searching for any sign of a lie. "Right. Just a cleaner. The thingil is that, I have been seeing you snicking around most time, some of the knights I usually see having conversation with always go rampaging killing their own friends, and ends up killing themselves. That there is what we call mind control, and I really trust you based on your family reputation." His voice dripped.
Tom held his breath. He couldn't afford to let anything slip.
After what felt like an eternity, Cedric finally nodded, though his expression remained guarded. "Stay out of trouble, Crowley," he said, his voice cold. "We're watching everyone these days."
With that, he turned and left the room, leaving Tom standing in silence, his heart pounding in his chest.
The elder Knight's voice came to breach him again. "You have to kill that one, he is already suspecting you. All else you want them to know who you are. And for me I have no problem with that."
Tom already had that thought, before the elder Knight's voice came through, and he had already made a decision.
---
That evening, Tom returned home with a newfound sense of urgency. Cedric's words echoed in his mind, a reminder that his enemies were growing more cautious. He had to be smarter, faster. The knights were closing in, and he couldn't afford to make any mistakes. And also that guy Cedric has to be cut out from the picture, as soon as possible.
As he sat at the small table in his apartment, staring out at the city, the elder knight's voice returned, sharper and more insistent than ever.
"They are starting to see through your disguise," the elder knight whispered. "You must act now, before they find out who you really are. Am just trying to help you here, not that I really care"
"I know," Tom muttered under his breath. "But I can't rush this. If I make a move too soon, they'll catch on, but first I need to take care of that guy, as soon as possible."
"The time for caution is over. You have the power now. Use it. Break them before they break you, attack them on the cold street of the city, make them know the figure that is in charge, put a name in the streets, for them to fear from."
Tom clenched his fists, frustration building inside him. The elder knight was right, every day that passed, the knights were tightening their grip on the city. And if they uncovered his secret, everything he had worked for would come crashing down.
But at the same time, Chris's face flashed in his mind, the innocent look in his brother's eyes, the fear of becoming something he didn't want to be.
Tom took a deep breath, trying to steady his thoughts. He couldn't let his emotions cloud his judgment. Not now.
---
The next day at the knights' headquarters, things took an unexpected turn. As Tom went about his usual routine, he noticed a gathering in the main hall. A large crowd of knights had assembled, and standing at the center was none other than Chris.
Tom froze, his heart skipping a beat. Chris was standing alongside their father, who wore a look of pride that made Tom's blood boil. But it wasn't just his presence that unnerved Tom, it was the way the other knights were looking at Chris, with curiosity and interest.
"…youngest son of the Crowley bloodline…"
"…they say he's close to awakening…the symptoms are revealing themselves."
Tom's stomach dropped. Chris was on the verge of awakening his power. It was happening faster than Tom had anticipated, but there are still lots of time before Chris power would come. The elder knight's voice surged in his mind, screaming for him to act.
"Now! Strike now, before he becomes like the rest!"
Tom's hands shook as he watched the scene unfold. Chris didn't seem to notice the attention he was drawing. His eyes were wide, taking in everything around him with a mix of awe and apprehension.
Tom knew what he had to do. He had to protect Chris, had to stop him from falling into the same cycle of violence and corruption that had consumed the rest of their family.
But how could he do that without revealing himself?
---
Later that evening, Tom found himself wandering the halls of the headquarters, lost in thought. The weight of his decisions pressed down on him, heavier than ever. He passed by the familiar statue of the elder knight, the one that had haunted his dreams for so long. The figure seemed to stare back at him, as if challenging him to act.
Tom stopped in front of the statue, his mind racing. The elder knight's voice was quieter now, but it was still there, lurking in the background.
"You know what must be done, Tom. He is part of the bloodline. He will awaken, and when he does, he will become your enemy too."
Tom closed his eyes, trying to block out the voice, but it was no use. He knew the elder knight was right. Chris would awaken, and when he did, he would join the knights, just like their father, just like their siblings. And when that happened, Tom would lose him forever.
Unless he stopped it.
But how could he do that without becoming the very monster he was trying to fight?
---
The next few days were a blur of tension and uncertainty. Chris continued to spend more time at the headquarters, learning from the knights, as he is getting closer to his awakening. Tom watched from the shadows, his heart heavy with the weight of his secret.
He wanted to talk to Chris, to warn him, to somehow convince him to turn away from the path he was on. But every time he tried, the words caught in his throat. How could he explain the truth? How could he make Chris understand the danger he was in without revealing his own dark secret?
And then, one night, everything changed.
Tom was lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling, when he felt it a sudden surge of energy, like a shockwave rippling through the air. He sat up, his heart racing. Something was happening.
The elder knight's voice returned, sharp and urgent.
"It has begun. The boy is awakening. You must stop him now, before it's too late."
Tom's blood ran cold. Chris was awakening. The power of the hero knight was being unleashed, and if Tom didn't act now, he would lose his brother forever.
Without a second thought, Tom leapt out of bed and raced out of the apartment, his mind filled with only one thought: he had to stop Chris, no matter the cost.