Chereads / Call of the void 1 / Chapter 17 - Web of deception

Chapter 17 - Web of deception

Smoke and power filled the dark room, and the slight hum of machinery punctuated the heavy silence. Lyssa Holloway was seated at a table that was dark and polished, with her thin fingers wrapped around a glass full of amber liquid that looked like melted gold in the dim light. The flash of a holographic screen illuminated her sharp and elegant features with an eerie glow, highlighting her cool, unyielding demeanor. The murky space was filled with the imposing figure of a masked man standing silently across the room.

"Things are in motion," Lyssa said, her voice smooth and measured, like silk sliding over steel. She took a slow sip, her eyes narrowing as she gazed at the masked figure. "But I need results. Chaos doesn't wait for the unprepared."

Before the masked man could respond, the sound of heavy boots echoed through the corridor outside. A tall man in dark armor entered through a creaking door, Captain Lucan Krail, an Arbitrium Corps officer known for his ruthless efficiency. His sharp green eyes flickered around the room before landing on Lyssa.

"You're late," Lyssa said, not bothering to turn her head. Her voice carried no irritation, just an unsettling calm that made the air feel heavier.

Krail's lips curled into a tigt smile. "I had other matters to attend to. You're not my only client, Lyssa."

Lyssa tilted her head slightly, her piercing gaze finally meeting his. "And yet, I am the one who ensures you don't end up in a gutter somewhere. Let's not pretend we're equals, Captain."

Krail's smile faltered, and he cleared his throat. "The family Amaranthe—they're still intact. My resources only stretch so far, and they're— He hesitated, his voice dropping. "Resilient."

A flicker of annoyance crossed Lyssa's face, and she set her glass down with a soft clink. "Resilient?" she repeated, her voice icy. "You mean to tell me that with all your resources, all your access, you've failed to bring down a family teetering on the brink of ruin?"

"They're protected," Krail argued, his voice rising slightly. "You know how the Council operates. I'm only able to push so far without getting noticed.

Lyssa stood, the deliberate sound of her chair sliding back cutting through the air. Despite her slow and calculated movements, the tension in the room spiked instantly. "You seem to have forgotten who you're speaking to," she said, stepping toward him. Her presence was magnetic, a predator closing in on cornered prey.

"Don't test me, Lyssa," Krail said, his hand instinctively reaching for the weapon at his side. "I'm not one of your lackeys."

Before he could react further, Lyssa raised a hand, and the surrounding air shifted. A dark energy, almost liquid in appearance, swirled around her fingers. The movement was unnatural, as if it were defying the laws of physics. In an instant, the shadows around Krail surged, coiling around his legs and yanking him to the floor.

Krail gasped as the weight of the energy bore down on him, pressing him into the ground. His armor creaked under the pressure, and his hands clawed at the invisible force pinning him. The tendrils of energy radiating from Lyssa's fingers pulsed with an unnatural intensity.

"This isn't... your registered anomalyte," Krail choked out, his voice strained. "What... what are you?"

Lyssa crouched, her face inches from his. Her lips curved into a cold, cruel smile. "Oh, Captain, you have no idea what I am," she whispered, her voice dripping with malice. "And if you continue to disappoint me, you'll never live long enough to find out."

Krail's mind raced, panic clawing at his thoughts. This power—it wasn't like anything he'd encountered. It was raw, overwhelming, and utterly foreign. He couldn't sense her anomalyte, as if whatever she wielded existed outside the spectrum of known abilities. How could someone like her possess such untraceable power?

The shadows tightened around him, and Lyssa stood, her boot pressing down on his chest with calculated pressure. "At the upcoming event," she said, her voice cold and commanding, "you will find a way to implicate Elora Amaranthe. Her family, her legacy—it all falls. That gathering of hers will be the perfect stage."

Krail coughed, struggling for breath. "And if I fail?"

Lyssa's smile disappeared as she leaned down again. "Then forget your aspirations of rising to the top in Abranta. Forget your dreams of influence. You'll be nothing. A shadow. Just like the rest of my enemies."

Her boot lifted, and Krail gasped for air, his chest heaving as he scrambled to sit up. Lyssa's calm and collected demeanor returned as she turned away when the shadows dispersed. She returned to her seat, picking up her glass and swirling the liquid lazily.

The masked man stepped forward, his silent presence a reminder of Lyssa's omnipresent power. Without saying a word, he grabbed Krail by the arm and drew him up, leading him out of the room. Krail didn't resist, his mind reeling from the encounter.

After the door closed behind them, Lyssa breathed softly, her eyes focused on the swirling shadows that still lingered faintly in the air. She took another sip from her glass, the corners of her lips curling into a faint, satisfied smile. The game was in motion, and the pieces were moving exactly where she wanted them.

For now.