The city had begun to whisper of the Devil's crown, but within the noble halls, fear was transforming into obedience. One of the houses, once proud and untouchable, had made a choice born of desperation. They came not with arrogance, but with hands trembling, eyes lowered, and hearts shackled by the knowledge that Lucius Draxion's shadow stretched farther than they could imagine.
Lucius received them personally, his crimson eyes glinting as he observed their submission. "You seek protection," he said quietly. "Yet protection comes at a cost. What are you willing to offer?"
The patriarch of the house dropped to his knees, trembling. "Our loyalty, our wealth, our heirs… anything, master. Just spare our bloodline."
A cruel smile touched Lucius's lips. "Then you will give me everything, and in return, I will allow you to survive. Your children will serve, your houses will bend, and your pride will exist only as memory."
Ravenna appeared beside the patriarch's heir, her gaze piercing. "Do you understand what it means to kneel before the Devil?" she whispered, her blade lightly brushing the boy's shoulder. He shivered but did not retreat.
Victor Draemont stepped forward, his tone clinical. "Your wealth will remain in name only. All assets, accounts, and holdings are now tied to Lucius. Without him, your riches are worthless. You will learn to serve, or watch everything crumble around you."
Adrian Crowe shuffled documents, his fingers tracing legal lines like a predator circling its prey. "All contracts and claims against Lucius vanish. The law will protect him, not you. Your house will exist, but only as part of his empire. Any rebellion is already illegal and impossible to prove, and any attempt to escape is bound to fail."
Silvio Marcellus observed quietly, a calculating smirk on his lips. "Your networks, your alliances, every link you hold, will feed directly into Lucius's plans. Every word you speak, every coin you touch, benefits him now."
Darius Veylan leaned against the doorway, his blades glinting faintly. "Disobedience has consequences. Remember the lessons of blood and fire. Fear, loyalty, obedience—they are the only currencies that matter now."
Cain Mortalis, the Silent Executioner, stood at the far end of the hall, his axe glinting. He did not speak, but his presence made the air heavy. The nobles understood that any misstep, even a whisper of defiance, could cost them everything.
Selene knelt near the patriarch's daughter, chains faintly clinking. "Master spares you today," she murmured. "Do not waste it. Serve well, or the Devil will remind you why you begged for mercy."
Lucius raised his hand, and the room fell into suffocating silence. "Your house will not perish," he said. "But you will live as an extension of me. Every action, every word, every thought is mine to shape. This is not punishment—it is transformation."
The patriarch's heir looked at the floor, pale but determined. "We will obey, master. We will learn. Our pride… is gone, but our lives remain."
Ravenna's smile widened, and she circled the young nobles like a predator. "Good. Fear is the only teacher who never fails."
Victor gestured to the family's financial ledgers. "From this day forward, every transaction, every property, every venture flows through my oversight. You will see the value of wealth when it is harnessed properly. Without the Devil, it is nothing."
Adrian adjusted his spectacles, reading over contracts that had been rewritten in ink darker than midnight. "Legally, your house is protected, yes. But only because it serves the master. Every loophole, every law has been reshaped. The moment you defy him, the law itself will destroy you."
Silvio's gaze swept the hall. "You will also feed information into our network. Traders, courtiers, spies—everyone you once controlled now reports into Lucius's web. Your power is gone, but your usefulness remains."
Darius tapped the floor with a knife, a subtle reminder of the consequences of defiance. "Remember, we do not forgive negligence. Obey completely, and you live. Hesitate, and you die."
Cain's axe seemed to gleam with approval, a silent promise that the Devil's will would be enforced without mercy.
Selene's chains rattled faintly as she added, "Do not think master spares you because he is merciful. You survive because you understand your place. Remember that."
Lucius stepped forward, his crimson gaze sweeping the room. "Your oath is sealed in your blood, your children are under my watch, and your house now exists only because I allow it. You are not partners, not allies—you are extensions of my will."
Ravenna leaned in close to the youngest, whispering, "Serve well, or nightmares will feel gentle compared to what comes next."
Victor smirked at the patriarch. "You will learn that wealth without the Devil controlling it is dust. Every coin you thought yours belongs to him now."
Adrian folded the last document with precision. "All records that could contradict this transformation have vanished. The world will believe your house survives. Only I know the truth—that it serves the Devil entirely."
Silvio glanced at Lucius. "Their loyalty is complete, or at least their obedience is. Either is enough to extend your shadow further into the city."
Lucius's smile widened, crimson eyes gleaming. "The city must see obedience, fear, and loyalty intertwined. Let this house serve as an example. Let every noble know that their children, their legacy, and their wealth can be claimed by the Devil if they stray even an inch."
The family bowed deeply, trembling, understanding their fate had been rewritten. They had survived, yes, but as subjects of the Devil himself.
Enzo's eyes widened, witnessing this transformation. "Master… this is beyond anything I imagined. You do not just control the city. You shape families, legacies, even bloodlines."
Lucius's voice was calm yet terrifying. "Yes, Enzo. Fear and loyalty are stronger than swords. Remember this. Every corner of this city, every life, bends to me. And we have only begun."
Outside, the city stirred, whispers carried through streets and alleys. The Devil's reach had grown deeper than ever. The Oath of Silence had been taken, and the nobles knew that disobedience would not just cost them, they would vanish entirely.