Lucian's words, "This is not a negotiation," echoed in Silla's mind. It was a verdict, the final curtain call on his ordinary life. He looked into those emotionless obsidian eyes, desperately searching for a hint of mercy or hesitation, but found only an icy void... the decisiveness of a man accustomed to getting everything he wanted.
Silla collapsed to the bed, clutching the black egg in his arms. It was the source of this whole ordeal, the shackle of fate that had entangled him with the most dangerous man in the country. The egg continued to emit a warm, soft glow, seemingly oblivious to the tense situation.
"I... I really can't go," Silla managed to say one last time. "My family...".
"I will handle your family," Lucian cut him off dismissively. "They have no right to refuse the Nightcrow Guild's decision on a matter of national security.".
That was when Silla knew he was completely out of options. Citing "national security" was the ultimate trump card that no one could argue against. It was a decree that could instantly turn an abduction into an "invitation for cooperation.".
Lucian didn't wait for any more protests. The young man raised his right hand into the air, and a deep black shadow began to gather before him as if it were alive. It twisted and rapidly expanded, forming a pitch-black portal that swirled like a miniature black hole. The air around the portal grew noticeably colder.
"A personal Gate..." Silla whispered in astonishment. This was one of the ultimate skills of high-level Awakened, the ability to create a dimensional portal for instantaneous travel to different locations. It was a power he had only ever seen in textbooks.
"Step inside," Lucian commanded.
Silla hugged the egg tightly as if it were the only thing grounding him. He looked from the terrifying portal to Lucian's emotionless face, then squeezed his eyes shut and stepped through in resignation.
The sensation was bizarre... it wasn't like walking, but more like being sucked into a void of sound and light. His body felt weightless for a moment before his feet touched solid ground again.
When he opened his eyes... the scenery around him had changed completely.
He was no longer in his small apartment. He was standing in the middle of a colossal hall, so grand and intimidating it nearly took his breath away. The floor was polished black marble, reflecting the ceiling that soared so high it resembled a night sky. The walls were massive panes of black glass offering a high-angle view of the city. Soft white light from modern crystal chandeliers illuminated the entire area. Awakened in black uniforms with silver trim moved about with brisk efficiency. Each of them radiated a powerful aura that made Silla feel like a tiny ant.
The moment everyone saw Lucian's arrival... all movement ceased in unison. They all turned and bowed to their leader in silent, synchronized reverence—a sight that was both powerful and unnerving.
Dozens of pairs of eyes fixed on Silla... a strange boy in rabbit-patterned cotton pajamas, trembling as he clutched the "Egg" that was the biggest news story in a decade. Their gazes were filled with suspicion, surprise, and hostility. Silla felt like he was being stared down by a pack of wolves. He lowered his head, not daring to meet anyone's eyes.
"Follow me." Lucian paid no mind to the reactions of those around him, continuing to lead the way down a seemingly endless corridor.
Finally, he brought Silla to a stop before a door. It was a black metal door without even a doorknob. Lucian simply placed his hand on it, and the door slid open with a quiet hiss.
Inside was a suite more luxurious than a five-star hotel, complete with a king-sized bed, a fine leather sofa, and one wall made entirely of glass that offered a view of the entire city. But Silla quickly noticed that the glass was exceptionally thick, and the door he had just entered... had no handle on the inside.
"Stay here," Lucian said curtly. "Food and necessities will be delivered. Do not leave this room without permission.".
It was a confirmation... he had become a prisoner in a golden cage.
Lucian turned and left. The door slid shut with a soft click, leaving Silla standing alone in the vast, yet desolate and lonely, room. He sank onto the soft bed, finally letting the tears he had held back for so long stream down his face in silence.
He didn't know how much time had passed before he was roused from his daze by the sound of the door sliding open again. But the person who entered wasn't Lucian. It was a middle-aged woman in a clean white lab coat, accompanied by a few team members.
"Hello, Mr. Silla," she said in a formal tone. "My name is Dr. Eva, head of research here. We'll need your cooperation for some tests.".
Silla had no choice but to nod meekly.
The research team began setting up strange devices around him, instruments the likes of which he had never seen before. Dr. Eva instructed him to try using his light-element power while holding the egg.
Silla complied, bewildered. He gathered his meager energy, and the familiar soft light and faint warmth appeared in his palms.
The moment his power touched the egg... the devices around him began to beep and display complex data on their holographic screens.
"Incredible..." Dr. Eva murmured, her eyes wide with excitement behind her glasses.
"The egg's energy waves are responding! It's absorbing the micro-level thermal energy from your light power! This... this is an 'activation'!".
The examination continued for nearly a full hour. Silla felt more like a lab rat than a human. Finally, Dr. Eva packed up her equipment and left, leaving him once again in a state of exhaustion and confusion.
Not long after, the door opened again. This time, it was Lucian.
"Come with me.".
Silla silently followed the broad back until they reached an office that seemed to be on the building's top floor. It was a simple yet elegant room, decorated mainly in black and grey tones. Behind the desk, a large window offered a view of the entire city below. Dr. Eva was already waiting there.
"The preliminary analysis is in, Guild Leader," Eva reported eagerly. "Your hypothesis was correct in every aspect.".
She turned to Silla.
"Silla Crestwell... your Rank F light-element power is extremely special. It may not be usable for combat or healing, but it possesses the 'property' to stimulate and incubate high-energy lifeforms. We believe the warmth from your power is the one and only 'key' that will allow this egg to hatch.".
Silla's jaw dropped... his worthless power was a key?.
"But..." Eva continued, "energy from you alone is not enough. The egg also requires a massive amount of pure energy from Gate cores as 'food'. To put it simply... to make this egg hatch, we need both the 'key,' which is you, and the 'food,' which is energy from inside the Gates.".
Silla finally understood... he understood where his destiny was headed.
Lucian walked to stand before him. A transparent hologram appeared in mid-air. It was a document titled "Special Cooperation Contract.".
"You will live here, under my direct supervision," Lucian stated. "You will join my team to clear designated Gates, allowing the egg to receive the energy it needs. In return, the Nightcrow Guild will guarantee your safety and provide you with all necessary amenities.".
It was a contract... a contract that bound his life to this man and a life-threatening mission.
"And if I... disagree?" Silla asked, his voice trembling.
Lucian glanced at him coldly.
"Then you will be handed over to the Association as a suspect in the theft of a national-level artifact and will be detained for 'research' for the rest of your life... without this egg by your side.".
The meaning hidden in that last sentence was clear... without the egg, he would just be another worthless Rank F Awakened in the eyes of the Association. His life would end in a dark laboratory.
This wasn't a choice... it was coercion.
Lucian held out a digital pen to Silla.
"Sign it.".
That short command was the final gavel, sealing his fate completely.