Yul's penthouse was a cathedral of dark elegance: high ceilings, velvet drapes, candlelight flickering against gold accents, and the soft hum of the city below. The night after Monarch's performance, Yul sat cross-legged on the floor, fingers tracing the edges of a crystal prism. The glow from the city reflected in his eyes—sharp, golden, unblinking.
The air shifted. A presence. He didn't need to look.
"You're even more radiant than I remembered," the man said, stepping from the shadows, his silhouette blending perfectly with the darkness. He moved like smoke—soft, mesmerizing, lethal.
Yul's lips curved slightly, wary but composed. "You shouldn't be here."
The man's grin widened. "But I am. And I bring… news." His voice was syrupy, dripping with persuasive power. "Do you trust him?"
Yul's brow furrowed. "Jiwon?"
"Yes," the man whispered, taking a measured step closer. "He's brave, devoted… but naive. And love, as you know, is a weapon."
Yul's heart clenched slightly. Something in the man's tone struck a chord he didn't like. "Speak plainly."
"Jiwon's hiding something," the man said smoothly. "He meets with you in secret, yes? But do you know why? He fears you. Not the other way around. He fears what you could be. And in that fear… he's already betraying you."
Yul's breath caught, golden eyes narrowing. "Lies."
The man's hand extended slightly, a gesture almost intimate. "Is it a lie if it convinces you of the truth? He's keeping you from ascending—he doesn't want you to reclaim what was stolen from you. He loves you… yes, but his love binds you to mediocrity. Don't you want more, Yul? Don't you want power? Glory? The empire that is rightfully yours?"
Yul's pulse quickened. Memories flickered in his mind: the centuries of solitude, the hunts, the nights burning in anonymity. He had escaped one life only to build another. And now… the idea that someone might limit him, even with affection, stirred something dangerous.
"You're suggesting…" Yul's voice was low, dangerous.
"I'm suggesting that your path has been interrupted," the man said, leaning closer. "By a hunter. By a boy who doesn't understand you. But I can help. I can show you what it means to take everything you deserve. And to ensure no one, not even Jiwon, can stop you."
Yul's hands curled into fists. A battle between instinct and desire, loyalty and ambition, sparked in his chest. The man's words slithered inside him, seductive and insistent.
"And if I refuse?" Yul asked, sharp, venomous.
The shadow tilted his head, smile widening. "Then you remain… limited. But you never were content with limits, were you, Yul?"
For a heartbeat, Yul considered the weight of the words. He saw himself—not the idol, not the illusion—but the creature he truly was. Golden-blood. Ancient. Powerful. And he felt the pull. The pull of legacy. Of dominance.
"You're… wrong," Yul murmured, trying to push it away. But the man's aura was suffocating, mesmerizing, a poison disguised as truth.
"I'm giving you a choice," the shadow whispered. "One that only you can make. And once made… there's no turning back."
Yul's golden eyes glinted. "And you… what do you gain from this?"
The man laughed softly, velvet and steel. "I gain… the world. But more importantly, I gain the satisfaction of seeing you claim it—finally. But you must believe what I tell you. You must trust me… and doubt him."
He vanished before Yul could respond, leaving the penthouse silent except for the hum of the city.
Yul remained still, fingers brushing the edge of the prism again, thoughts in chaos. His chest was tight. His mind, a storm. And somewhere deep inside, an ember of longing for Jiwon stirred—clashing violently with the man's insidious whispers.