When JC's eyes fluttered open, the world was blurry, his body heavy with fatigue. The harsh glow of a medical lamp above him slowly came into focus. The faint hum of machinery buzzed in his ears, accompanied by the low murmur of voices nearby.
"You think he's okay?" Lissy's voice was soft but worried.
"He has to be," Angel replied sharply. "JC's tougher than anyone I've ever met. He's just… resting."
JC groaned softly, drawing their attention.
"JC!" Lissy exclaimed, rushing to his side.
"Hey," JC muttered, his voice raspy. "Where… am I?"
"In one of the underground shelters," Mark said, stepping into view. "We found you passed out in the street. You looked like you'd been through hell."
"I have," JC replied dryly, trying to sit up but wincing in pain. His body protested every movement.
"Take it easy," Angel said, pressing a firm hand on his shoulder. "You're not exactly in fighting shape right now."
JC let out a small laugh, though it quickly turned into a cough. "Yeah, no kidding."
Jackson, who had been quietly working on his holo-watch, finally spoke up. "JC, we've been looking into what happened. That thing you fought—it didn't just show up randomly."
JC's expression darkened. "I figured as much."
"We traced its movements using the city's surveillance network," Jackson continued, his fingers flying across his screen. "It came from outside the walls, but it wasn't alone. Someone—or something—was controlling it."
"The cloaked figure," JC said quietly, his memories of the fight rushing back. "They were there after I killed the beast. Said something about my bloodline… and that this was just the beginning."
Angel's eyes narrowed. "Whoever they are, they're clearly targeting you. Any idea why?"
JC hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor. "It's not just me. It's my family."
"The Logias," Lissy said, her voice barely above a whisper.
JC nodded. "Our power makes us a threat. My family has enemies—people who fear what we're capable of, or who want to control us. If this figure knows who I am, they're probably after more than just revenge."
"Like what?" Mark asked.
JC's expression grew grim. "The Logia lineage isn't just about power. We're keepers of something ancient, something dangerous. Secrets that could change the balance between Magina, the Country of Nations, and even the monsters outside the walls. If those secrets fall into the wrong hands..."
He didn't finish the sentence, but the weight of his words hung in the air.
"So, what do we do?" Angel asked, her tone defiant. "We're not just going to let them come after you like this."
JC managed a small smile. "You're not exactly equipped to handle whatever's coming."
"Neither are you," she shot back. "You almost died out there."
"She's right," Jackson added. "If they sent that beast after you, they'll send more. We need a plan."
JC sighed, leaning back against the makeshift bed. "First, we need to figure out who this cloaked figure is and what they want. They didn't attack me directly, which means they're playing a long game. That gives us some time."
"And then what?" Lissy asked.
JC's eyes burned with determination. "Then we find them before they find us."
---
Later that night, as the others slept, JC sat alone in the shelter's dimly lit corner. His body still ached, but his mind was racing. He couldn't stop thinking about the figure's words, the way they had spoken about his bloodline as if it were a curse.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, silver pendant—a family heirloom bearing the crest of the Logia family. The symbol glowed faintly in the dark, its light pulsing in time with his heartbeat.
"You can't stop what's coming," the figure's voice echoed in his mind.
JC tightened his grip on the pendant. "We'll see about that."
Unbeknownst to him, far beyond the walls of Magina, the cloaked figure stood atop a crumbling spire, their violet eyes glowing with malice. Around them, shadowy figures knelt in a circle, their forms obscured by the darkness.
"The boy is stronger than I expected," the figure said, their voice cold and calculating.
"But not invincible," one of the shadows replied.
The figure smiled faintly. "No, not invincible. But he will lead us to what we seek. The Logia family's secrets will be ours, and with them, we will bring this world to its knees."
The shadows murmured in agreement, their voices a chilling symphony.
"Prepare the next phase," the figure commanded. "The storm is only beginning."