The grand hall of the Guardians' headquarters buzzed with energy. Zeke stood in the center, his heart pounding as the official's voice echoed through the room.
"Congratulations, Zeke. You've earned your place."
For a moment, the world around him blurred. His chest swelled with pride, but the weight of the moment was almost too much. I did it. I actually did it.
Cheers erupted from his group. Alistair clapped him on the shoulder, grinning. "I knew you'd make it, Zeke. No one deserved it more."
Zeke smiled, but the murmurs from the other candidates sliced through the celebration like daggers.
"He only got in because of his family."
"That's Matthias's son, right? It's all connections."
The words stung, but Zeke clenched his fists and forced a smile. Let them doubt.
As the guide began assigning posts, Zeke felt the pressure of the moment settle on his shoulders. He and Alistair were paired. A wave of responsibility washed over him because now he had the duty of helping others, keeping them safe. They were to patrol the city. Alistair was his second-in-command, assisting him. Each officer was given 15 to 20 low-grade Guardians to support them. They were to receive orders from Zeke first and then from Alistair.
As he walked home through the bustling streets of Zeblax, thoughts of his family filled his mind. I can't wait to tell Father. He'll be proud. Maybe... maybe things will finally change.
But as he neared their home, a strange feeling settled in his gut. The door was slightly ajar.
He pushed it open. Silence greeted him, thick and heavy. His heart pounded. "Father? Mia?"
Then he heard it—a soft, broken sob.
He rushed into the room. Mia was kneeling beside their father, her small frame shaking, tears streaming down her face. Their father lay still, his eyes closed, his chest unmoving.
"No..." Zeke whispered, his voice barely audible. He stepped forward, his breath catching. "What... what's happening? Why are you crying? Where's Grandma?"
Mia looked up, her face pale, eyes wide with horror. "He's... he's gone, Zeke." Her voice cracked. "I've... I've been trying to wake him up for ten minutes. He won't... he won't wake up."
Zeke's world tilted. "No. No, that can't be." His voice trembled, his legs felt like they would give out. "I left Grandma with him. She was supposed to... to help him." His voice broke. "What happened?"
Mia's tears flowed harder. "I don't know! I don't know!" She sobbed, clutching their father's lifeless hand. "He... he just... is dead."
Zeke sank to his knees, his hands shaking as he touched his father's cold hand. "No... not again." His voice was a broken whisper. Tears blurred his vision, the room spinning around him. "First Mother... now Father... why?!" He choked on his sobs, his body trembling. It feels like a part of me has been ripped away... again.
Suddenly, after touching his father's hand, a flicker of energy beneath his fingertips made him freeze. A weak, chaotic pulse—his father's Soul power, fading. Zeke's eyes widened. "The Soul Wound... it's worse. It's... it's out of control."
A sickening realization struck him. He looked at Mia, his voice trembling. "Did Grandma... did she... abandon him?"
Mia's eyes widened. "No, Zeke, she wouldn't... she—"
But Zeke's anger flared, drowning out the uncertainty in Mia's voice. "I can't believe this. I—" His words faltered as a new thought hit him like a lightning bolt. He stepped back, his chest tight, and his voice came out in a low, furious whisper. "I think... I think this is Grandpa's doing."
Mia's face twisted in confusion. "What do you mean? Grandpa? Why would you say that?"
Zeke paced back and forth, his mind racing. "He always thought of Dad as a disgrace. He never accepted us. He never wanted to be our grandfather. He looked at us like we were... like we were nothing." His voice trembled with disbelief. "And Grandma... Grandma wouldn't have let this happen. I always thought she was a loving mother, but she's just as bad as Grandfather. He always thought my father was beneath him, a failure. It makes sense. He would've wanted to make sure..."
Mia shook her head, unable to believe the words. "But they wouldn't... they couldn't... they're family!"
Zeke turned to her, his expression a mixture of anger and confusion. "I don't know, Mia. But think about it. Maybe Grandma couldn't stop him. Maybe... maybe she didn't even try. I—I don't understand anymore."
Mia's face crumpled in grief. "Zeke, please... not now. I know you're hurting, but we don't know what happened. We can't—"
He cut her off, his voice sharp and desperate. "No, Mia! I need answers. This—this is all too much. I can't stand it." His chest heaved with frustration. "I need to know who did this. Who took my father from me. I can't just sit here and do nothing!"
Mia's voice broke as she reached out to him. "Zeke, please. We'll find out the truth, but we have to be careful. We don't know everything yet."
Zeke's jaw tightened, a fierce resolve settling over him. "No one will get away with this. If someone is responsible for my father's death, I will make them pay."
Mia's tears were fresh, but she nodded, understanding the fire that burned inside him. "I... I understand. But we can't rush into this. Please, Zeke, let's think."
Zeke's eyes burned with determination. "There's nothing to think about. I'll make them regret what they did."
The room fell silent, the weight of their loss pressing down on them like a shroud. Outside, the city of Zeblax continued its endless hum, unaware of the storm that had just begun in their quiet home.
Zeke's heart was pounding in his chest as he glanced at his sister. His mind was still reeling from the discovery about their father, and now, the fear for Mia's safety had become overwhelming. There was no time to waste. He needed to find answers, but he couldn't risk anything happening to her, too.
"Mia," he said, his voice strained with urgency, "I'm going to the headquarters. You need to stay at school "
Her eyes widened in confusion. "What? Zeke, I can't—"
"No, Mia," he interrupted, his hands shaking slightly as he grasped her shoulders. "You're staying at school. I don't care what happens, but you have to stay at the school. It's the safest place right now. Please, don't leave the school until I come back."
Mia looked at him with a mix of worry and frustration. She could feel his fear radiating off him, but she didn't understand why it was so strong. "Zeke, what are you talking about? I'll be fine. Why are you so scared?"
"Because I can't lose you, too," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, as if the words themselves hurt to say. "Please, just trust me. I'll be back soon."
Zeke saw her eyes soften for a moment, and he could tell she understood more than she let on. He didn't want to leave her, but he had no choice. There was a dangerous uncertainty surrounding them now, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was looming.
"Okay," Mia finally said, her voice small but steady. "I'll wait for you. Be careful, Zeke."
"Always," he replied, giving her one last, reassuring look before turning to leave.
Zeke's legs moved faster than his mind. His thoughts were scattered, his heart heavy with the grief of losing his father and the suspicion that was eating at him. His fear for Mia, though, was what pushed him forward. He couldn't let anything happen to her. Not when she was the only family he had left.
As they arrived, he gave Mia a quick hug before making sure she entered the building. Only when he saw her safely disappear inside did he finally allow himself to breathe. He knew that as long as she was there, she would be safe. It was the one place in Zeblax that no one dared to do anything inside it.
Zeke's thoughts were a blur of anger and grief as he hurried through the streets of Zeblax , his every step echoing with urgency. His mind raced, but there was only one thing that mattered now: finding Eric. He needed to know if someone had caused his father's death. He knew Eric's ability could provide answers—answers that might make sense of the pain and confusion swirling inside him.
His hands were clenched at his sides, his knuckles white. He barely noticed the glances from passing citizens as they stared at his bloodshot eyes and the dark circles under them.
When Zeke finally reached the headquarters, he felt an unrelenting fire inside him. It was as if every corner of the building, every officer walking through the halls, was a reminder of how helpless he had felt earlier—how everything was falling apart.
He stormed through the entrance, not caring who saw or how he looked. The people around him stepped aside, eyes widening in surprise at the raw emotion on his face. Zeke barely registered the stares. His mind was set. He had to find Eric.
After a frantic search, Zeke finally spotted Eric in a corridor near the briefing rooms. Eric's expression shifted when he saw Zeke approaching, but it was too late for pleasantries.
"Eric!" Zeke called, his voice hoarse with emotion. "I need you to come with me. Now."
Eric seemed taken aback by the urgency in Zeke's voice, but without questioning, he nodded. "What's going on, Zeke? You look—"
"I need you to see my father's body," Zeke interrupted, his breath shaky. "I need to know if someone did this. I can't... I can't figure this out on my own. You have to help me."
Eric paused, looking at Zeke with a mixture of concern and suspicion. But Zeke was too far gone in his grief and anger to care about his own vulnerability. He just wanted answers.
"I'll go with you," Eric said finally, his tone more serious now. "But you have to calm down. We'll figure this out."
Zeke didn't wait for any more words. He was already turning toward the exit, motioning for Eric to follow. After a few moments, Eric caught up with him, and the two made their way to Zeke's home, Eric's steps deliberate but quick. Zeke's heart raced with every moment that passed. Would they find any clues? Would Eric be able to tell if someone had caused his father's death?
As they approached the house, Zeke's stomach twisted with dread. His eyes were locked on the door, almost as if he could already feel his father's presence—or, rather, the absence of it.
When they stepped inside, the stillness of the room hit Zeke like a physical blow. His father's body was still lying there, just as it had been when Zeke found it. His mother's absence had already torn a hole in his life, but this... this felt like the final, devastating blow.
Zeke turned to Eric, his breath shaky. "You can... you can feel it, right? The soul power? Is there anything strange about it?"
Eric stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the lifeless body of Zeke's father. His eyes glowed faintly, Eric's ability to sense soul energy was unique—he could read the remnants of a soul's power, even after death.
For a moment, Eric was silent, his focus deepening as he examined the body. Zeke's chest tightened, his heart pounding with fear and anticipation.
Eric's eyes flickered with a sudden intensity. "This... doesn't look like a normal death to me, Zeke. There's something off about it."
Zeke's breath caught in his throat. "What do you mean? How do you know?"
Eric stepped back, still concentrating. "The soul energy is... it's faint, almost as if it's been disturbed. Like something was trying to drain it, but couldn't quite finish the job. It doesn't make sense. Your father's soul should be... stable, even in death. But this is different."
Zeke's heart sank, but at the same time, a cold fire ignited in his chest. "When did you think he died?" Zeke asked, his voice strained with dread.
Eric hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering over the body once more. "It shouldn't have been long ago. It looks like... three to five hours, maybe? Something like that."
Zeke's blood ran cold. Three to five hours. It was almost exactly the time when he had left his grandmother alone with his father. The realization hit him like a lightning strike, and he staggered back, his mind racing.
No. It couldn't be. Could it?
But the doubt that had been gnawing at him all morning began to dissolve. He knew, deep down, that his suspicions were right. The strange fluctuations in his father's soul power... it wasn't a coincidence. His grandfather—who had always seen Zeke's family as a disgrace—must have been involved. The pieces were falling into place.
His grandmother, too... Zeke could no longer deny it. She must have known. She must have known, Betrayal and anger surged through him, flooding his chest and tightening around his throat.
Zeke's voice was low and dangerous as he spoke, his hands trembling with rage. "It was him. It was my grandfather, wasn't it? He did this. I should have known. And my grandmother... never expected that from her."
Eric didn't say anything, but the look in his eyes said everything. Zeke didn't need confirmation. He could feel the truth burning through him. And in that moment, all the grief, all the anger, all the betrayal coiled into one single, powerful thought.
They would pay.
Zeke turned away from his father's body, his fists clenched at his sides. He knew what he had to do now. He would make them pay for this. For his father's death. For the pain they had caused. He would burn everything down if it meant getting justice.