Las Vegas—
Above the bustling streets of Sin City, on the rooftop garden of the Wild Gold Casino, Karan stood beneath the vast night sky. The city's lights twinkled below like fallen stars, while cool breeze carried the subtle, musky scent of fresh blooms — jasmine and night-blooming cereus mingling with damp earth and stone, a stark contrast to the charged hedonistic atmosphere of the city below. Here, high above the neon chaos, the world felt hushed — an oasis of dewy leaves and rustling branches.
Click!
The door behind him clicks shut with a soft finality, leaving only the echoes of his footsteps on the luxurious stone path of rare marble and imported granite as he moved deeper into the garden. The garden is lush, artful pocket of nature suspended over the urban sprawl, moonlight silvered every leaf and petal, turning the space into something timeless, almost sacred — a hidden gem perched atop the world.
Moving forward, his gaze settled on a figure leaning against the railing, staring out over the glittering city like a hawk surveying its territory. Vlad. His presence was every bit as commanding and extraordinary as it had been at the poker table. Beside him stood Mr. Gold, dressed in a spotless white suit and fedora with black accents, both hands resting on his majestic wooden cane covered in golden embroidery. The old man's eyes were closed, his aged face deeply groved with wrinkles of experience and wisdom — a timeless tapestry over the calm and serene expression, as though he had seen a thousand such nights and knew exactly how this one would unfold.
Whatever was to come, it was clear that this meeting was no coincidence. It was the opening of a new game far more complex and dangerous than any played with cards.
The crisp thud of Karan's steady footsteps over the stone path were the only sound breaking the eerie silence. He stopped beside Vlad and leaned against the cold railing, eyes on the glittering city below.
"Quite the game we had," Vlad said, finally breaking the tension. His voice was steady, an amused smile tugging at his lips. "Never knew you were so good at scaring people off. Guess that stupidly serious face of yours actually has its uses." With no efforts to hide the sarcasm, "Why don't you start your own little mafia circle? You'd probably run it better than me. Don't you think so too, Gold?" He asked Mr. Gold to pour more oil in the flame.
"It is as 'My Lord' says." Mr. Gold responded numbly without doing anything unnecessary.
"You know I'm not here to play your petty games," Karan replied flatly. "And I'm definitely not here to laugh at your dead-humor jokes. Why don't we get straight to the point?"
Vlad frowned. "Hey now, don't be like that! Do you know how much effort I put into planning this eye-tearing, heart-warming reunion?" He turned to face Karan fully, the city lights painting a luminous backdrop to his silhouette.
"..." But Karan remained silent, still gazing at the bustling city.
"Really?" Vlad turned to Mr. Gold. "Hey, old man Gold! Tell this ungrateful cur how much I went through to prepare this spectacular welcome for him!"
"It is as 'My Lord' says," Mr. Gold replied numbly, his eyes still closed.
"'Spectacular', you say?" Karan finally turned to face Vlad properly.
"Hm?" Vlad stopped complaining and looked at Karan with a confused expression, "Why?" Tilting his head to the side, he continued, "Was your encounter before coming here not spectacular enough?" A long, mischievous smile stretching across his face.
"So you knew…" Karan muttered, the pieces finally connecting.
"Of course I did," Vlad replied with a lazy grin. "How else do you think you arrived at the exact place at the exact time? Or are you really that stupid?" He turned around and started walking toward the center of the rooftop garden. "Ah, don't worry. That's not all I have in store for you. After all, I know your appetite quite well."
He spun back toward Karan, the moonlight casting long shadows that dance across his features, his eyes shifting to a faint reddish hue that never left Karan's gaze. "I'm well aware of what you truly crave."
The night grew eerily silent. The chaos of the casino far below felt like a different world altogether.
The cool breeze carrying the subtle scent of the garden's blooms, whispering through the grass, rustled the leaves of bushes and trees. Under the vast expanse of the night sky, the city's lights twinkling like distant orbs while the eensy-teensy stars hid behind the veil of occasional clouds, afraid to company the winsome moon whose brilliance, cutting thorough occasional clouds, illuminated the two noble figures standing face to face.
They continued observing each other in heavy silence before—
Swish—
Vanishing from their spots at a speed impossible to observe though naked eye, and—
Boom!!!
Reapearing inches apart, clashing their fists with force so informidable and strength so raw that the impact created a huge crater beneath them and unleashed powerful shockwaves that ripped through the pristine garden — planters exploded, trees bent like reeds, petals and leaves swirling in a violent storm of green, brown and gold.
"Haah~ Youngsters these days…" Mr. Gold sighed from the sidelines, watching the chaos unfold. "It sure is nice to be youthful."
—
In the surveillance office of Wild Gold—
Boom!!
The monitors flickered with static as the shockwave from Vlad and Karan's collision rattled the whole room wildly.
"What the—!!"
"What was that!!?" The casino's guardians in black exclaimed.
Ring— ring— ring— ring—
Caught off guard by the sudden outburst of cacophony created by the countless ringing telephones and emergency signals, personnel scrambled back and forth to assess the situation.
"Why are we receiving so many emergency calls from the kitchen and the guest halls?!" one exclaimed in confusion and frustration.
"Hey! Quick! Check what is happening on the rooftop!" another ordered.
"Yes sir!"
"No need." The head of the security interjected solemnly.
"But Sir! The guests are—"
"I said there is no need to do anything!" His voice was grave. "This is a direct orders from the boss — no surveillance and no interference with any activities relating to the roof garden. We're only required to manage the aftermath." He looked every person in the room in the eye before demanding an affirmation, "Do you understand?"
"But sir! There are some major influential figures and they keep asking for an explanation!!"
"Tell them it's just an earthquake, not another 9/11!" He shouted.
Boom!!!
Another shockwave shook the room, sending dust and small debris falling from the ceiling.
"Do you understand?!!"
"Yes, Sir!!" A chorus of man finally responded as they all went back to address the situation as they were instructed to do.
In front of one of the personnel that were in the room, while switching the feed, the screen stabilized and revealed to him the aftermath of the clashes on the rooftop.
The once-pristine garden was now a chaos of upturned earth, uprooted trees and shattered planters. At the center of the destruction stood the two figures, their suits miraculously unscathed, their postures relaxed as if nothing had happened.
It was purely by accident — an accident that could potentially cost him very dearly. But oblivious to the fact, he saw it all, "Just what is happening up there...?" He whispered, disbelief coloring his tone.
Fights between gangs and mafias are a common occurrence in this state but it was clear to the watching guard that this was no ordinary altercation. There was something happening on the roof that was outside of his understanding of the world.
While he was busy trying to make sense of what he was looking on the screen, Click! The footage got changed abruptly.
"Huh?" He grabbed the mouse and tried to change the footage back. "Hm?" But the sensation was odd. Instead of feeling cold, plastic surface, it was hairy and warm.
He turned his head and saw that it wasn't the computer mouse he was holding — it was a man's hand. Raising his eyes, he saw his senior staring daggers at him, "You saw nothing. Understood?" The senior said in a grave tone, sweat beading down his face, "Forget everything you saw. I am telling you for your own good." He advised.
Listing to the advice, the rookie quietly nodded with slight hesitation and got back to his work, not daring to even touch the mouse again. It was the first time he had seen his senior look so grim and nervous — enough to stop him from getting any stupid idea in his head.
—
Back on the rooftop—
Swish—
After exchanging dozens of blinding blows, the two combatants vanished and reappeared ten steps aparts. Their movements too swift for human eyes to follow.
Vlad's blood-red eyes glinted ominously under the frequent, pale shower of the moonlight, a broad smile revealing his intimidating canines. On the other hand, Karan was more focused on getting the dust off his suit, dusting near his left pocket, looking almost bored.
"I was expecting you to get a little~ rusty after all this time since we last met," Vlad remarked, inspecting his slightly reddened knuckle. "Not bad." His eyes glowing intensely, the smile on his face vanished like it never existed. "Or should I say that it's quite bad since you are still the same?" His voice turning grim.
Karan, hands in his pockets, replied, "I could say the same. Were you really that busy playing house after coming here, 'Mr. Vlad Deacul'? Quite a fancy name, I must say." A faint mocking smile lifted the corner of his mouth.
At Karan's mocking words, Vlad's expression darkened instantly. Shadow fell over his features as once cozy and slightly chaotic atmosphere shifted to instant cold. Dark clouds rolled in, swallowing the gallant moon.
With the sole witness of their meeting now gone, the once smooth and soothing breeze transformed into howling gales, bending the surviving trees and bushes to their will, yet the two men stood unyielding, statues amidst the chaos.
"House?" Vlad locked eyes with Karan, his gaze burning fierce red, "Easy for you to say since you were the one staying home with 'Father', while I was here working my ass off." A heavy, tangible aura of cold blue bloodlust began to emanate from him, thickening the air.
Sensing Vlad's heavy and dense bloodlust, Karan responded in kind. His own scorching aura amplified, shifting the atmosphere to a scorching heat. Shadows writhed around him, and reddish-orange embers of darkness danced in the air, as if drawn to his fiery spirit.
The two auras collided, each striving to dominate the other, creating a mesmerizing spectacle. A violent purplish tornado laced with bright white and blue, erupted on the scene — a testament to their formidable power.
Of course the people below, the city's inhabitants were lost in their nocturnal revelries, oblivious to the celestial battle of witts unfolding above.
Crack—
The very ground beneath them strained under the pressure, the rooftop garden bearing witness to the raw power of their clashing auras.
If anyone has been present to witness this raw extravaganza, they would have found themselves kneeling on the ground, overwhelmed by awe, terror, and reverence at the display of such refined and potent forces.
Amidst this fierce clash, Vlad suddenly smiled like an innocent kid and withdrew his menacing aura completely.
With nothing to oppose it, Karan's fierce aura lunged towards Vlad, ready to devour him whole. But before it could touch even a strand of his hair, the aura vanished in an instant, as if it never existed.
The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the evidence of their recent clash — the destruction around them spoke volumes of the ferocity of their encounter.
"You are still an asshole." Vlad said with that same innocent smile.
"Done fooling around?" Not caring a jot about what Vlad just said, Snap! Karan casually snapped his fingers and two shadowy chairs materialized before them. He sat on one and Vlad followed suit. "Now tell me — what exactly did you gain from 'working your ass off' here?"
"Hm? Did father not mentioned anything?" Vlad asked in confusion.
"That scheming Old Man only told me to get here on time."
"Is that so?" Vlad said as he fixed his outfit while Mr. Gold, who at some point had appeared beside him, showed him the time on his pocket watch. "Well, we are certainly tight on time."
"And? What are you scheming with that Old Fish?"
"Scheme? Me?" Vlad stood up, walking toward the edge of the roof. "Come on, Karan. You know me better than that. I'm not one to scheme. And even if I were, how could I dare do it against you?"
"..." Karan wasn't buying his bullshit.
"Tsk! You are no fun." Vlad leaned against the railing, "Let's see, I did get quite a brobdingnagian amount of clues and information, but the most important thing that I can think of right now is..." Turning towards Karan, he uttered the words that changed the whole atmosphere around them, "One of Evergarden's executive researchers — Dr. Obroy." He intentionally stopped in his speech, his lips curled into a mischievous grin, a devilish glint in his eye.
Polar to Vlad, Karan's expression darkened. The name 'Dr. Obroy' echoed in his head like a sinister whisper from the past, catching his breath.
'Let's play hide n seek, okay? Go and hide in a place where mumma won't be able to find you.' The nightmares creeping over him.
"He is alive."
'Promise you won't come out till Mumma finds you. Pinky promise?'
An ominous aura, far more sinister than his clash with Vlad, begin to swirl around him as the temperature started rising, the darkness-filled orange ambers flared brighter, swirling faster, as if feeding on the sudden rage boiling beneath his skin. The shadows twisted tighter around his frame, echoing his inner turmoil — a visual representation of the emotional whirlpool and fury that was raging inside him.
"Where is he…?" His voice dropped into something distorted and demonic, his breath sizzling hot.
"Ah, he. Is. In—" With each word that left Vlad's mouth, his body kept on leaning backward over the railing until— "Arey? I am falling~!" There was nothing to support him and entered a free fall after giving Karan a final wink.
"Veer!!!!" Karan bellowed as he got up from the chair and dashed after Vlad with rage-filled eyes, leaping from the edge of the roof garden without any second thought.
—
In one of the many restrooms of Wild Gold Casino, the night unfolded as it always did, with guests lost in their own worlds, oblivious to the extraordinary events transpiring just above their head.
Voom— Shoom—
Hearing something passing by their room's window, a guest who was staying for a carnal night looked towards the window but found nothing.
"Did you hear something?" the man, half-naked, asked, pausing mid-motion.
"Hear what?" the woman, draped only in a white blanket, responded with disinterest.
"I think I heard something pass by the window."
"It's probably just a bird. Forget it, come back here," she beckoned, pulling him closer.
"Ah!"
—
Swoosh—
The sinful air of the city brushed past Karan as gravity pulled him downward. The chaos of his descent contrasted sharply with Veer's calm demeanor.
Just moments before impact, Veer, falling with his back to the earth, smiled as his body started to contort.
"You little—!!!!"
Tear! Tear!
From his back, two immense limbs spanning almost thirty feet unfurled, ripping through his suit. Flaps of skin stretched taut between spiked bony outlines, forming massive leathery membranes that caught the air with a thunderous whump. At the same time, his entire frame tightened with dense, corded muscle — sleek yet dense, powerfully yet elegantly sculpted, the kind of strength that looked refined rather than brutish — perfectly balanced across his broad shoulders, chest, and legs to provide the colossal wings the support they demanded without losing any of his elegant, predatory grace. The transformation slowed his descent, shrouding the human world beneath him in sweeping dark shadows.
"Huh?"
"Why did the sky suddenly turned so dark?"
"What is happening?"
The crowd below pointed upward, phones flashing, voice rising in confusion and fear.
Contracting his back, Veer flapped his wings powerfully against the air, propelling him upwards, towards the moon's silvery glow.
"I'll go ahead first. See you up there."
—
Inside the same restroom of Wild Gold Casino—
Swoosh—
"Hmm?" Resting on the bed butt naked, a man looked towards the window of the restroom. "What was that?" the man wondered aloud, his gaze drifting towards the window where he briefly saw something passing through. The only thing covering his nakedness being only a little piece of white blanket.
"Must be a bird or something," the woman replied, her breath still heavy from their recent activities. "Ready for another round?"
"But we just finished a whilum—!!!!"
And the rest is history.
—
Looking at Veer gliding through the air currents and vanishing into the night sky, Karan's frustration was palpable.
"Aahh!!! Someone is falling from the sky!!"
"A suicide! It's a suicide!!"
"Holy—!!!"
Listening to the crowd's yells and shout growing louder, Karan looked towards the ground only to find it feet away from his face. "Shit..!" He muttered, the gravity of the situation dawning on him.
Boom—
Crash—
The night was shattered by the sound of destruction as Karan's descent ended abruptly with the crumpling of metal and shattered glass. Clouds of dust swelling up from the impact of the crash.
Wee– woo– wee– woo–
A sharp alarm wailing like a banshee's scream, piercing the silence and drawing the eyes of the city to the crash site.
Murmur— murmur—
A hushed sense of dread spread through the gathering crowd. They whispered, casting wary glances at the dust cloud that seemed to hold its breath, concealing the secrets of the crash.
As the dust began to clear, the onlookers leaned in, their anticipation building, only to find a mangled car — a shell of its former luxury — a spectacle of devastation without a trace of its cause.
Everyone was left stunned. They couldn't find the falling cause that could be reasoned for the car's miserable state, reduced to nothing more than twisted metal wreckage. The crowd was left in disbelief, searching for a body to blame and an explanation where there seemed to be none.
—
On the roof garden—
Sigh~
Sitting on a broken tree trunk, Mr. Gold sighed as he looked at everything unfolding before his eyes, "It sure is nice to be youthful."