The night air reeked of salt and smoke as Enzo crouched beside Selene at the edge of the docks. His fingers gripped the cold steel of the pistol she had forced into his hand, his pulse hammering in his ears. The moonlight glinted off the crates stacked before them, crates that Selene whispered were filled with weapons belonging to Lucius.
"This is your trial," Selene murmured, her eyes locked on the guards patrolling the area. "Tonight, you learn if you are predator or prey. Fail me, and you will die before the Devil ever lays eyes on you."
Enzo swallowed hard, his throat dry, but nodded. The weight of the pistol felt different now, heavier, as if it carried his fate along with it. When Selene signaled, he moved. His footsteps were fast but unsteady, his breaths sharp. The first guard turned, shock flickering in his eyes, but Enzo's trembling finger squeezed the trigger. The shot echoed, and the man fell.
His body froze for a moment, staring at what he had done. Then Selene's voice cut through him. "Do not hesitate. Hesitation is death." She darted forward like a shadow, her blades flashing as two more guards crumpled under her merciless strikes.
Gunfire erupted. Bullets sparked against the crates as the remaining guards scrambled to respond. Enzo ducked behind cover, his chest heaving, but rage took hold of him. He burst from the crates, firing wildly. One guard dropped, then another, their cries drowned by the roar of his weapon.
When the last shot faded, the docks were silent except for the distant crash of waves. Enzo's hands shook, but his eyes burned with something new. He was no longer just a grieving boy. He felt the rush of violence, the dark thrill of survival.
Selene stepped beside him, blood staining her blades, a cruel smile on her lips. "Good. You fought like a beast. This is only the beginning. Soon, Lucius himself will know what hunts him."
Unseen by either of them, a lone figure watched from the shadows of a nearby crane. Crimson eyes glowed faintly in the dark as Lucius whispered to himself, his grin wide. "Yes, boy. Keep clawing at my world. The higher you climb, the harder you will fall."