The city's pulse beat unevenly that night. For weeks, whispers had carried the name of a man returning from the abyss, a ghost who dared to stand against Lucius. His name was Dominic, and his first move had begun.
In the eastern district, warehouses that funneled Victor Draemont's financial empire suddenly erupted in flames. The fire spread unnaturally fast, as if fueled by more than oil. By dawn, three storage sites were nothing but ash.
Victor stood before the council, his jaw tight, hands clenched around reports. "It was no accident. Dominic wanted me to see this. He wants to cripple the foundation of our wealth."
Silvio Marcellus sat back, fingers steepled as he studied the maps. His voice was low, deliberate. "No. This was not only aimed at you, Victor. This was a test. He wanted to see how quickly we respond, how united we truly are."
Darius Veylan's eyes burned as he slammed his knife into the table. "Then he will have his answer. I will carve his test into his skin and feed him to the shadows."
Ravenna laughed softly, leaning forward with eyes gleaming. "Oh, Darius, always so direct. But I agree. He dares touch what is ours. I want his screams echoing in every alley of this city."
Cain Mortalis said nothing. He lifted his axe and set it on the table, the steel reflecting the firelight. His silence spoke volumes.
Adrian Crowe adjusted his glasses, voice calm but sharp. "Dominic is cunning. He chose Victor's warehouses because they are high-profile. He wanted us to feel exposed. The law will already ask questions, but I will divert them. He will not trap us in his game."
Enzo shifted nervously, his young face hardened by weeks of training under Darius. "Master… will he come for us again?"
A silence spread as Lucius descended from the upper floor, his crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. Every council member straightened at his presence.
Lucius's voice cut through the room like a blade. "Of course he will. He wants me to react. He wants to see if the Devil still commands fear. He will learn that I do not react. I destroy."
Victor bowed his head, his anger momentarily soothed by the weight of Lucius's words. "Then say it, master. Give us the order, and Dominic will vanish."
Lucius studied them all, his gaze unreadable. "He has shown his hand, but not his face. That means he fears me. And fear is already the beginning of defeat."
Silvio tapped the map. "I have traced some of the fire's funding. Shell companies that do not exist, masked under political names. He has government ties. He moves with precision, not desperation."
Adrian smirked. "Then I will strangle those ties with laws until they choke. Let him find his allies powerless when he needs them most."
Darius leaned toward Enzo, his voice low and cold. "Watch closely. This is the first true hunt. Dominic will push us, but he will learn what it means to bleed."
Ravenna twirled her blade, humming a song only she understood. "I cannot wait to meet him. Men like Dominic always think themselves clever. They always beg the same way in the end."
Cain rested his axe across his knees, waiting. He needed no words to make his loyalty clear.
Lucius walked slowly to the center of the room. His presence smothered every flicker of doubt. "Dominic believes he can test my empire. He believes my council is fractured. He is wrong."
He turned, his eyes sweeping across each of his trusted aides. "Victor, rebuild what was burned. Make it stronger than before. Silvio, unmask his allies in government. Adrian, silence the law before it speaks. Darius, train Enzo to hunt in blood. Ravenna, prepare your knives. Cain… wait for my command."
Each name spoken by Lucius felt like a seal binding them to his will. None questioned, none hesitated.
Selene, still kneeling at Lucius's side, raised her eyes to him. "Master, let me chase him in the alleys. I will tear his shadows apart until nothing hides him from your gaze."
Lucius looked down at her, his expression unreadable. "Do so, Selene. Fail, and you will beg for death again. Succeed, and you will stand at my side when Dominic falls."
Enzo clenched his fists, his heart pounding. He knew this was not just another mission. Dominic's strike would test not only the empire but his own resolve as Lucius's newest blade.
Victor's lips curled into a bitter smile. "He thought burning my warehouses would frighten me. He will soon learn money can be remade. His life cannot."
Silvio chuckled darkly. "Patience, Victor. Let the rat dig his hole deeper. When we corner him, the collapse will bury him alive."
Darius's eyes narrowed. "I say we find him now and cut his throat before he breathes again."
Lucius raised a hand, silencing them all. His smile was cruel, his voice steady. "No. Dominic wants me to move first. I will let him believe his fire has weakened us. Let him strike again. Each move he makes ties the noose tighter around his neck."
The council bowed their heads, each filled with their own dark anticipation. They knew their master's strategy. They would wait, they would watch, and when Lucius decided, they would strike with overwhelming force.
Far away, in the hidden chambers of power, Dominic watched the flames devour Victor's empire. His lips curved into a thin smile. "So, Devil, will you come for me now… or will you wait while I unravel your kingdom thread by thread?"