The streets outside the government building still reeked of blood when Dominic staggered into the night. His hands trembled, his breath ragged, his mind struggling to accept what he had witnessed. The screams of his men still echoed in his ears.
He had thought himself clever, thought Lucius no more than a tyrant cloaked in myth. Now he knew better. The Devil was real, and his face was burned into Dominic's soul.
Dominic pressed against a wall, gripping his chest as if to steady his heart. The city felt colder, the shadows heavier. Even the silence mocked him, whispering the truth he had tried to deny.
"You cannot kill a demon," he muttered to himself, forcing a laugh that cracked under the weight of fear. Yet his eyes burned with fury. "But even demons bleed. And I will find the way."
Back at the estate, the council waited in tense silence. Ravenna paced like a caged predator, her eyes darting to the doors every few seconds.
Darius sat sharpening his blade, the steady scrape of metal filling the air. "If Dominic lives, he will return with fury. And when he does, I will carve his soul from his body."
Silvio leaned back in his chair, his mind already racing with possibilities. "That is what he wants us to think. Dominic's greatest weapon is not his blade but his patience. He will not rush into Lucius again. He will strike at the edges, peeling away what he can."
Victor Draemont adjusted his tie, his calm demeanor hiding the storm in his mind. "Which is why we must fortify every business, every contract, every flow of money. Dominic's ambition is dangerous, but ambition without resources is nothing."
Cain Mortalis sat in silence, his axe across his knees, his gaze locked on the door. He did not speak, but when he moved his hand to the haft of his weapon, the council knew he was ready.
Adrian Crowe finally broke the silence, his voice sharp. "You all saw what our master unleashed tonight. Dominic saw it too. That fear will drive him, yes, but it will also consume him. He will act desperately, and desperation can be manipulated."
The doors opened. Lucius entered, his crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. The council rose to their feet, the room heavy with reverence.
He did not speak immediately. Instead, he crossed the chamber, poured himself a glass of wine, and let the silence grow unbearable. Only when every breath felt heavy did he finally speak.
"Dominic now knows the truth," Lucius said softly, his smile cruel. "He has seen why they call me Devil. Fear is the chain that binds men, and tonight I placed it around his throat."
Ravenna shivered at his words, her lips parting in awe. "Master, he will come again."
Lucius turned his gaze on her, his smile widening. "Of course he will. Rats never stop gnawing until they are crushed underfoot."
Enzo, who had been standing quietly at the side, finally spoke. His voice was calm, but his eyes carried a fire. "Then let me be the one to face him when he returns. You gave me strength, master. Let me use it."
Darius smirked, his blade gleaming. "Careful, boy. Facing Dominic is not like facing a rebel. He is cunning. He is poison."
Lucius raised his hand, silencing them. "Enzo will have his chance. Every man under my rule must one day face the fire. Whether he burns or rises is his choice."
Victor Draemont leaned forward, voice low. "What of the government? Dominic has his claws in them still. He will use their fear to shield himself."
Lucius's crimson eyes darkened, and his smile vanished. "Then we remind the government why they bow to me. If Dominic hides among them, we drag him into the light."
Adrian Crowe grinned, his teeth flashing. "A trial, perhaps. Let the courts tremble at your name once more. Let the law itself kneel before the Devil."
Lucius set his glass down, the sound sharp against the table. "Yes. If Dominic wishes to use the government, then I will use it to crush him. Their hands are already stained. I will make them drown in their own corruption."
The council leaned forward, anticipation thick in the air. They had seen their master at war, at slaughter, but now they would see him bend entire systems to his will.
Ravenna whispered almost reverently. "What will you have us do, master?"
Lucius's eyes gleamed like fire. "Prepare the city. Strengthen our grip. When Dominic moves, we will not only stop him. We will break him so completely that even the thought of resistance will die with him."
The room trembled with his words, each syllable carrying weight that no mortal should wield. The council bowed their heads, their loyalty burning brighter than ever.
Far from the estate, Dominic stood before his surviving allies. His voice was hoarse, his eyes burning with both fear and hatred. "You saw what he is. You saw the monster he hides behind that name. But listen well. Monsters can fall."
The men shifted uneasily, doubt heavy in their eyes. None of them spoke, for none of them believed.
Dominic slammed his fist against the table, blood dripping from his knuckles. "I will not bow to him. I will not fear him. If it takes every breath in my body, I will see the Devil broken."
Yet even as he spoke, his heart betrayed him. Deep down, he remembered the crimson eyes, the merciless smile, and the room painted with blood.
And in that quiet, unspoken place, Dominic realized that no matter how loud he shouted, the Devil had already marked him.