Silence.
Heavy.
Unnatural.
Kaela's body lay still on the floor.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Because something was wrong.
Not outside.
Not around them.
Inside the room.
Watching.
Lucas was the first to react.
Of course.
He slowly cracked his neck and looked around.
"…Alright."
A pause.
"If there's a creepy invisible guy in the room…"
He raised his hand casually.
"Now would be a great time to introduce yourself."
Zoe whispered—
"Lucas…"
But he didn't stop.
He walked forward.
Calm.
Like he wasn't afraid at all.
"Because honestly," he continued, "the whole 'watching silently' thing is getting old."
A voice answered.
Soft.
Close.
Not from one direction.
From everywhere.
"You talk a lot."
Lucas smiled instantly.
"There you are."
Julien tensed.
Velik's posture shifted.
Nora stepped closer to Eva.
Zoe held her breath.
And then—
He appeared.
Not dramatically.
Not with power.
Just… there.
Standing near the far wall.
A man.
Normal.
Calm.
Watching them.
Aeron Vex.
Lucas looked him up and down.
"…That's it?"
A small pause.
"I was expecting something more… terrifying."
Aeron didn't react.
"You expected something you could understand."
Lucas grinned.
"Fair point."
He stepped closer.
Julien tried to stop him.
"Lucas—"
Lucas raised a hand slightly.
"Relax."
His eyes never left Aeron.
"I just want to talk."
Aeron tilted his head slightly.
"You are not afraid."
Lucas shrugged.
"Should I be?"
Aeron looked at him carefully.
Studying.
Measuring.
"Most people are."
Lucas smiled.
"Yeah, well…"
A pause.
"I'm not most people."
That made something shift.
Not visible.
But felt.
Aeron took a slow step forward.
"No."
"You are not."
Lucas pointed at him.
"See? We're already agreeing."
Zoe whispered quietly—
"This is not a joke…"
Lucas didn't look at her.
"I know."
But his tone didn't change.
Still light.
Still calm.
That's what made it dangerous.
Aeron's gaze moved past him.
To Eva.
Everything in the room tightened.
"You brought her back."
Lucas stepped slightly in front of Eva.
"Yeah."
A pause.
"Got a problem with that?"
Aeron didn't respond immediately.
"She does not belong here."
Lucas nodded slowly.
"Interesting."
Then he leaned in slightly.
"Because from what I see…"
He gestured around the room.
"None of us do."
Aeron's eyes returned to Lucas.
Silence stretched.
Then—
"You joke… to hide uncertainty."
Lucas smirked.
"No."
A pause.
"I joke because you're trying too hard to be scary."
Zoe inhaled sharply.
Julien muttered—
"He's insane…"
But Aeron didn't attack.
Didn't react violently.
Instead—
He stepped closer.
Now standing just a few feet away from Lucas.
"You think this is a game."
Lucas looked directly into his eyes.
"No."
His smile faded slightly.
"For you… it's not."
A small pause.
"But for me?"
The smirk returned.
"It's starting to get interesting."
That line changed something.
Even Velik noticed.
Aeron studied him more deeply now.
"You are… different."
Lucas nodded.
"I get that a lot."
Aeron's gaze shifted again.
Back to Eva.
"She is the one I want."
The room froze.
Lucas stepped forward instantly.
"Yeah, that's not happening."
Aeron didn't even look at him.
"You cannot stop this."
Lucas tilted his head.
"Maybe."
A pause.
"But you also didn't stop us from killing Kaela."
That hit.
Aeron's eyes flickered slightly.
Just for a moment.
Lucas caught it.
"Oh…"
His smile grew.
"So you're not as in control as you act."
Silence.
Aeron spoke again—
slower this time.
"Everything is happening… as it should."
Lucas shook his head.
"Nah."
He pointed toward Kaela's body.
"That wasn't part of your plan."
Aeron didn't answer.
Lucas stepped even closer.
Now they were face to face.
"So here's what I think," Lucas said quietly.
"You don't force things."
"You push."
"You watch."
He leaned in slightly.
"But you didn't expect us to push back."
Aeron looked at him.
Long.
Deep.
"You will break."
Lucas smiled again.
"Probably."
A pause.
"But not today."
That confidence—
That refusal to fear—
That was new.
Even for Aeron.
He stepped back slightly.
His gaze returned to Eva one last time.
"This is not over."
Eva didn't look away.
"I know."
For the first time—
Aeron looked almost… curious.
Then—
He disappeared.
Not fast.
Not dramatic.
Just…
Gone.
Silence returned.
Heavy.
Real.
Lucas exhaled slowly.
"…Okay."
He turned to the others.
"I officially hate that guy."
Zoe whispered—
"He's not gone…"
Lucas nodded.
"Yeah."
A pause.
"I know."
Then he looked at Eva.
His tone finally serious.
"We need a plan."