The Duke's Last Gamble
Duke Valmore's fingers trembled as he poured himself a glass of wine. He had always believed himself to be an untouchable pillar of power.
But the recent events shattered that illusion.
Nobles who once dined at his table now feared whispering his name.
The Phantom had turned his world upside down.
House Kendrick—wiped out overnight. The wealth of an entire family—vanished into thin air.
And worst of all…
No one knew how.
Valmore had spies in every corner of the city, yet none had even glimpsed the faceless monster responsible.
He took a slow sip, his mind racing.
If brute force couldn't stop this menace, he needed something else. Something far worse.
He reached for a small golden seal and pressed it onto black parchment.
Within the hour, the message would be received by the Inquisitors of the Black Sun.
The most feared enforcers in the capital.
Men who didn't ask questions. Men who burned cities to silence a single whisper.
If a ghost was haunting him, then he would burn the entire city down to banish it.
The Inquisitor Arrives
By midnight, a lone figure rode into the capital.
Dressed in a tattered black cloak, he carried no insignia, no banners. Only the air of death and silence.
His name was Elias Dorne.
A man whispered about in hushed tones—a hunter of heretics, a butcher of kings.
He had no allegiances, no morals—only results.
Duke Valmore greeted him in his private study, his usual arrogance replaced by unease.
"You have a problem, Your Grace," Elias said. His voice was gravel dipped in poison.
Valmore swallowed. "A ghost haunts my city. A Phantom."
Elias smirked. "Then let's see who's faster—the ghost… or the reaper."
Lucien's Response
A few days later, an informant tried to slip into Lucien's safehouse.
He didn't make it past the first step.
By the time he realized something was wrong, a silk string tightened around his throat.
The man didn't struggle. He knew it was pointless.
Lucien stood in the shadows, watching with cold, detached amusement.
Elias Dorne.
A dangerous opponent.
But not invincible.
Lucien crouched beside the dying informant. His voice was soft, almost compassionate.
"Did you truly think you could deceive me?"
The man's mouth opened, but no words came.
Lucien leaned closer, his breath like a whisper from the abyss.
"Don't worry. I already knew what you were going to say."
The body collapsed at his feet.
Lucien exhaled.
The hunt had begun.
And the hunter was already ensnared in his web.
Seraphina's Dilemma
Seraphina watched Lucien in the candlelight, her mind clouded with confusion and something else—something dangerous.
Fascination.
Lucien was unlike anyone she had ever known.
Every noble she had met was predictable—drunk on power, blinded by greed.
But Lucien…
He was different.
He didn't just destroy his enemies. He erased them from existence.
No traces. No survivors. Just ghost stories.
And yet… despite all of this…
She didn't fear him.
That should have terrified her.
But instead…
She wanted to know more.
Wanted to understand how his mind worked.
Wanted to see just how deep his darkness went.
And so, for the first time, she made a choice.
She would stand at his side.
Even if it meant sinking into the abyss.
Lucien's Final Move
Elias Dorne had been watching. Studying. Waiting.
He was a master of the hunt.
But he had made one critical mistake.
He believed he was the predator.
When in truth…
He was the prey.
By the time Elias realized what was happening, it was too late.
His hideout, his safehouses, his contacts—all compromised.
His every step, every move—anticipated.
As he lit a candle in his room, a soft voice whispered from the darkness.
"You lost the moment you stepped into my city."
Elias froze.
Lucien stepped forward, his eyes filled with cold amusement.
"You thought you were hunting me. But tell me, Elias…"
He leaned in close.
"Who was really hunting who?"
The candle flickered.
And then—silence.
End of Chapter 15