The gunfire from the ambush still echoed in Enzo's ears as he wandered the empty streets. His body ached, his mind burned, and every step felt heavier than the last. He had watched Lucius walk away from the flames untouched, laughing as if death itself bowed before him. That sight had carved itself into Enzo's soul.
He stopped in front of the ruined church where his family's name had once been whispered in prayer. The doors hung broken, the windows shattered, and the pews rotted with neglect. He sank to his knees, the weight of loss crushing his chest. "Uncle… I swear I will tear him apart." His voice trembled with anger and despair.
From the shadows, Selene's voice slithered like silk. "Your uncle made promises he could not keep. He thought loyalty would shield him. It never does."
Enzo spun, his eyes burning with fury. "You dare speak of him? He was family. He fought until his last breath."
Selene stepped into the moonlight, her gaze sharp and unyielding. "He fought, yes. But he fought like a man clinging to the past. If you keep following that path, Lucius will crush you as easily as he crushed him."
Enzo's fists tightened. His heart screamed to strike her, but his reason faltered. Deep down, he knew she was right. He had seen Lucius in battle. He had felt the terror that silenced even the bravest men. Facing him as he was now would be suicide.
Selene closed the distance between them, her words soft but cutting. "Grief has its place, but vengeance requires discipline. You cannot defeat the Devil by bleeding for him. You defeat him by becoming worse than him. Let me show you how."
Enzo's breath came heavy. His rage demanded action, his grief begged for release, and his pride clashed against the truth Selene placed before him. Finally, with a voice hoarse from the weight of it all, he whispered, "Teach me."
Selene smiled, her eyes glinting with cruel satisfaction. "Good. Tonight, you will take your first step. And when the Devil finally turns his gaze on you, he will see not a boy, but a weapon forged in fire."