The next day, Claire arrived at the café earlier than usual, holding a notebook in her hand. She intended to jot down everything Lucas had mentioned the night before. Shadow creatures, the Veil, the mysterious Radiant Alliance—each term was a puzzle haunting her mind.
She realized her life had already veered far from its normal course. Determined to uncover more, she decided to take the initiative.
Lucas appeared at the café again, as he always did, choosing the most secluded corner. Claire approached with a cup of coffee and sat across from him.
"Feeling bold today, aren't we?" Lucas raised an eyebrow, a faint hint of amusement in his voice.
Ignoring his teasing, Claire went straight to the point. "I want to know more about what you said last night."
Lucas remained silent for a moment, then looked up at her. "Are you sure? The more you know, the harder it will be to return to your old life."
Claire's eyes were resolute. "My life hasn't been the same for a while now. You know that."
Lucas sighed deeply, resting his hand on the table, fingers tapping softly on the edge of the cup. He said in a low voice, "Alright, what do you want to know?"
Claire flipped through her notebook to a question. "You mentioned shadow creatures come from the Shadow Realm. What exactly is the Shadow Realm?"
Lucas frowned slightly, as if weighing how much he should reveal. "The Shadow Realm is a parallel dimension to the human world. It knows no day or night, only endless darkness. Shadow creatures are its native inhabitants, and our existence is bound by its rules."
"So, you used to live there?" Claire pressed.
Lucas nodded. "Yes. But the Shadow Realm isn't as idyllic as you might imagine. It's a harsh place, filled with indifference and strife. The strong dominate everything, while the weak barely survive."
Claire fell silent, shuddering at the mental image of the world Lucas described. "Then why did you come to the human world?"
Lucas's gaze darkened. In a low voice, he replied, "Because I no longer wanted to partake in the conflicts of the Shadow Realm. I chose to escape, but clearly, the shadows of that world haven't let go of me."
Claire moved on. "What about the Veil? You said they're mutated shadow creatures?"
Lucas nodded. "The Veil are fallen beings of the Shadow Realm. They've been captured and altered by the Radiant Alliance into weapons. Their sole purpose is to track and hunt down defectors like me."
"So the Radiant Alliance isn't just studying shadow creatures—they're trying to exploit the Shadow Realm's power?" Claire's voice was tinged with disbelief.
Lucas let out a cold laugh. "Not just trying—they're determined to control it entirely. They believe the Shadow Realm's power will make them invincible in this world. But they underestimate how dangerous that power truly is."
Finally, Claire asked, "What kind of organization is the Radiant Alliance? Why are they so determined to hunt you?"
Lucas's expression turned icy. "The Radiant Alliance is a secret organization made up of humans with access to advanced technology and vast resources. They claim to protect the world from supernatural threats, but their ambitions go far beyond that. They want to control the Shadow Realm to dominate humanity's future."
Claire frowned. "They sound like villains straight out of a movie."
Lucas chuckled bitterly. "No. They're worse than villains. They wear the mask of righteousness, and many ordinary people even see them as heroes. But in their labs, beings like me are nothing more than test subjects, stripped of all rights."
As the conversation grew heavier, Claire tried to lighten the mood with a probing question. "Lucas, why do you trust me? Why tell me all of this?"
Lucas's gaze softened slightly, and in a low voice, he said, "I don't fully trust you. But I can tell your curiosity is genuine. And… I think you're special."
Claire's cheeks flushed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. "What about you? What do you want, Lucas?"
Lucas leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "I just want to survive. The Shadow Realm doesn't want me, and the human world won't accept me. I'm just an outcast caught between two worlds."
A pang of sympathy stirred in Claire's heart. "You're not an outcast, not to me."
Lucas froze for a moment, then a faint smile tugged at his lips. "Thank you. But you shouldn't get too close to me. The world I'm part of is dangerous."
Their conversation was interrupted when the café door swung open violently. Several strangers in black clothing and dark sunglasses entered, scanning the room before locking their eyes on Lucas.
Lucas's expression turned cold in an instant. He whispered to Claire, "Stay here. Don't move."
A wave of tension swept over her, but she nodded.
The black-clad figures approached their table, and the leader spoke in a harsh voice. "Lucas, you can't escape. Come with us."
Lucas looked up, his gaze icy. "The Radiant Alliance sent you?"
The man didn't answer. Instead, he pulled out a strange device and hurled it at Lucas. It unfolded mid-air, releasing a blinding white light.
Lucas reacted swiftly, his body merging into the shadows, vanishing from the chair.
The café descended into chaos. Customers screamed and scrambled to escape. Claire crouched behind the counter, her heart pounding as she watched.
In the darkness, Lucas's figure flickered in and out of view. His voice echoed coldly, "Tell the Radiant Alliance—they'll never catch me."
A sphere of dark energy formed in his hand, and with a swift motion, he hurled it at the black-clad figures. The resulting shockwave sent them reeling, but Lucas staggered slightly, his face pale.
After the attackers retreated, Lucas emerged from the shadows, his features grim. He glanced at Claire and said apologetically, "Sorry for dragging you into this."