Divided Worlds

Doubt and Anger

A limousine reaches the gigantic dark structure with a wide metallic gate surrounding the whole building.

A taller muscular man walks toward the window beside the passenger's seat. The window slowly moves down revealing a handsome face; his small red eyes are staring at the taller muscular man.

He bows down in front of the young man. "Sir Dryden, good morning. I shall now open the gates for you."

Dryden remains calm while staring at the taller muscular man. "Ben, you've been so kind and honest towards me.

"I do desire that your loyalty and honesty remain the same even if I am not facing you."

Ben straightens his upper body and nods at Dryden. "My loyalty for you will not fall."

"Well then," Dryden looks away from Ben, "it has been nice to have a conversation with you, Ben."

"See you later," Dryden pressed the button beside him.

The window beside him begins to move upwards. The gigantic dark metallic gate begins to separate and so the limousine begins to move once again.

Dryden moves his eyes toward the internal mirror, and there he sees Manuel's eyes darting on the pathway.

"Manuel," Dryden said.

Manuel says, "What is it, sir Dryden?"

"You have been our family's driver for 60 years," Dryden puts his hand on his chin, "are you somehow dreaming of a promotion even once in your life?"

Manuel never moves his eyes away from the pathway but he replies, "Sir, I do not want any promotions."

Dryden utters a soft laugh. "A promotion can grant you a higher salary.

"Confusingly, a promotion in a job is every man's dream but you, a loyal, dependable old man, do not seek a promotion? Very interesting."

Manuel's eyebrows arise as his eyes mimic a smile and he chuckles. "Sir, if I were to accept a promotion from you, then there's no thrill in my job.

"You see if you'll promote me and I will receive a higher salary, hence, I can gather sufficient money to leave this job.

"Serving you all these years has made me feel like a father driving for his son."

Dryden remains calm. "Well, that's a heart-touching speech. I am deeply honored for your service, Manuel."

Manuel moves his eyes to the internal mirror and nods. "So do I, sir Dryden."

The limousine moves inward through the large open entrance beside the gigantic dark building.

Dryden moves his eyes to the window beside him and he sees many inactive cars placed with each other; the cars are being separated by white lines.

The limousine moves toward a space beside an inactive dark van. Dryden holds the door handle and pushes it.

He steps out from the limousine, and his eyes has been greeted by the lights with low brightness embedded in the ceiling of the parking lot.

Dryden begins to walk in a certain direction and his eyes remain calm along the movements of his whole body.

His hands keep on swinging along with his feet, and then he reaches the closed window doors.

He raises his hands and holds the metal door handles and pushes them. Hence, he steps inward at the entrance.

There he can hear the audible instrumental music, can smell the fragrance of flowers traveling everywhere, and his eyes feasted upon the cleanliness of the building.

"The janitors are doing their best," he mumbled.

Hence, he begins to walk once again. Upon reaching the hallway, multiple people keep bowing their heads as Dryden encounters them.

A woman reaches Dryden and walks beside him while holding a clipboard with multiple papers clipped on it.

She holds one piece of paper and flips it and holds the other papers doing the same process. Her eyes widen upon reading the words embedded in the paper she's holding.

She moves her eyes toward Dryden whose eyes are fixated forward. She gulps and gently pushes her eyeglasses onto the bridge of her nose.

"S-Sir, Hereian has been seeking your appearance," she spoke.

"Tell him to calm his horses," Dryden told her.

Meanwhile, inside a large room with a long table and 9 men sitting on the chairs that are facing the table.

One of the 9 men rises from his chair and swings his hands on the table.

He inhales deeply. "Where is that spoiled brat of the clan of Blade?! He does not deserve to be called the CEO of this business if he doesn't know how to attend a meeting right in time!"

"Either you don't deserve that title." Dryden pushed the doors of the room.

The other 8 men stand up from their seats and bow their heads in front of Dryden. He narrows his eyes as he installs himself on the last empty chair.

"Everyone, let us begin this meeting," Dryden slides his hand inside his coat, "sit down."

Everyone who's standing seats once again on their chairs except for the man who remains standing while staring at him.

He slams his hands on the table. "Have you forgotten your brain?! Ha!"

"Hereian, you sure have witnessed my appearance. Now," Dryden moves his eyes to Hereian and narrows his eyes, "shut your mouth and take a sit."

Hereian grimaces at Dryden while his hands are closing and trembling. "Are you truly our superior? Or are you just taking this job and your position for granted?"

Dryden remains calm, once again and he begins to move his eyes toward Hereian. "Let me ask you this, do you want this meeting to begin, or are you just going to throw senseless questions at me?"

Dryden closes his eyes and rubs the temple of his nose, and then he moves his hand on the table.

"Are you doubting my intentions, Hereian?" Dryden begins to tap his index finger gently on the surface of the table, "let me tell you this… if you are anxious about the safety of the city from the riotous crowd of people, then don't stress yourself too much."

Dryden remains calm and he licks his lip. "I got the upper hand, Hereian. Have you forgotten who I am? Or do I need to remind you?"

Dryden stops tapping and looks once again at Hereian with his calm red eyes. Fluids are falling from Hereian's forehead as his eyes are broadened.

Hereian slowly installs himself on his seat, his eyes glued to the glass of the table while rubbing a towel on his glistening neck and face.

Dryden begins to speak, "I haven't heard many conflicts arising in this city so no force will be needed to use against the mobs living in this city.

"Why will we need to use force against them? Did they do anything against the law of this city?"

The other men couldn't move their eyes and it remains to stare at Dryden whilst Hereian inhales deeply.

"Hereian," Dryden moves his eyes to him, "I heard you breathe so is there anything you want to tell or propose to us?"

Hereian gulps and arises from his seat. He moves his trembling head towards Dryden whose eyes are darting at him.

Hereian holds the side of his collar and lifts it from his neck, and he rubs his coat.

He says, "I propose a movement to investigate every mob dwelling in this city."

"Continue." Dryden lifted his eyebrows.

"I have confidence in my knowledge, sir. The gangsters are the root of all the problems that occurred in this city," Hereian slides his hand inside his coat, "many people died because of them!

"They are the ones who caused the first

bloody revolution in this city wherein half of the law officers and innocent people died! Because of what?

"Because of their arrogance and ruthlessness!"

Dryden arises from his seat and closes his eyes for a brief moment. "That incident eventuated a long time ago and it was unforgettable.

"Think of the possibilities that can occur if we'll do what you seek; first, the mobs will despise you and eventually haunt you.

"Second, another war between the gangs and law officials will come to reality and that will cause another bloody revolution to transpire."

Hereian looks down and slams his hand on the table. The other men gasp upon witnessing Hereian's response to Dryden's speech.

Dryden remains standing in his position. "Let me ask you this: are you willing to do anything for your 'peace' but many people will die

because of that 'peace' that you seek.

"Or will you let go of that peace for the sake of many people?"

Hereian remains looking down while inhaling and exhaling, and so he moves his eyes toward Dryden and scowls at him.

"What happened to you?!" Hereian raises his hand and points his index finger to Dryden, "I am amazed by what you did to this city! You've slaughtered many people for the sake of peace!

"Now, look at you now! What happened to the Dryden that everyone feared, and trembled upon hearing your name."

Dryden closes his hand. "That was a long time ago. Now that I've found peace there's no need to kill many people to acquire harmony.

"If you want that kind of peace then you don't deserve to wake up the next day… you deserve to die for that kind of belief!"

Hereian brings out a pistol from his coat and points it at Dryden.

Dryden swings his foot and it strikes the table; the table moves upward and everyone steps back from their seat.

Hereian presses the trigger of his pistol; a loud sound was released from the pistol as its bullets strike the surface of the table and break its surface.

Dryden raises his other foot and thrusts it on the table and the table flies toward Hereian.

Dryden sprints toward the table and grabs one of the falling shards of glass. Hereian jumps aside from the flying table, and his eyes immediately witness Dryden right in front of his eyes.

Upon reaching Hereian, Dryden kicks the pistol; his kick throws the pistol from Hereian's grip.

Dryden throws the shard of glass onto his hand and then folds appear on Hereian's face as his eyes are closed while screaming.

Dryden swings his foot multiple times and he hits Hereian's whole body. Dryden crouches and his narrowing eyes stare upon Hereian's face full of pain.

Dryden holds his neck and then he stands up with Hereian who's holding his hand while coughing.

"How dare you!" Dryden lifts Hereian and throws him towards the door, "this is my office! And everyone here is under my protection except you!"

Hereian strikes the doors and it opens; he continues to fly until he hits the wall in front of the meeting room.

Dryden continues to walk and he halts in front of Hereian who's coughing while rolling from side to side.

Dryden spits on the floor. "You shouldn't have done that, you tomfool."

Dryden starts to lift his foot and he is moving it back but he moves it down on the floor. He slides his hand inside the pocket of his pants and brings out a phone.

He presses the screen and moves it toward his ear. "Hello, Dracon. What brings you this time to call my phone–!"

"What?!" Dryden looks aside, "Amoux has been shot?"

He moves his eyes toward Hereain and sees his eyes shut while laying down on the floor. Dryden begins to move in a certain direction.

"I'll be there!" Dryden yelled on the phone.

Inside a hospital, a muscular man is sitting on a metallic bench. His eyes are fixated on a book that he's holding with the title

written: The World of Wealth.

"Dracon." a masculine voice echoed throughout the hallway.

Dracon turns his eyes in a certain direction and sees a young man walking toward him.

"Dryden." he gently closed his book.

Later on, Dryden and Dracon are standing in front of a wide glass window; multiple skyscrapers and silhouettes of mountains can be seen through the glass window.

Dracon says, "I know that you don't indulge in initiating a conversation, what would I expect from a cold person himself?"

Dryden inhales deeply. "Apologies for this attitude of mine, the middle brother."

Dracon looks downward and his body shakes along with his soft laughter. He stops laughing and looks at Dryden only to see his red eyes looking forward.

Dracon says, "What's bad about being a middle child, older brother?"

Dracon looks away from him, and Dracon gazes upon the multiple structures.

He sighs. "There is no need to hide the incident that occurred in the meeting.

"I know what happened and what triggered that to occur."

Dracon raises his hand and moves it toward Dryden's back, and Dracon gently taps his older brother's back.

"I know very well that you are taking this job seriously," Dracon stops tapping his back, "it's just that there are people who will still judge you even if you are doing your best."

Dracon turns around and rests his back on the metallic fence. "I am aware that you've found your peace, and I will give my best to support you for that peace that you are protecting."

Dryden looks downward and nods. "Well, thank you, Dracon."

Dracon moves his eyes toward Dryden. "Wait, you're at the right time to find a wife… haven't you thought of that idea?"

Dryden suddenly coughs, and then he moves his eyes toward Dracon in anger.

Dryden remains calm but angrily tells him. "I don't want to get married! Women… are creatures that can give you a crazy amount of pressure!

"Anyways, if you want a nephew or niece then go and tell Amoux to find a wife after his recovery."

"About what happened to him," Dracon rubs his hands, "are you somehow going to utilize the family's movement?"

Dryden remains silent for many seconds. He looks upward and replies, "I will put this matter in the investigator's hands. For now, we must keep an eye on our youngest brother."

"The youngest is the root of the family's bloodline to continue," Dracon says, "if the eldest, second, or middle child will die then from that time, the youngest will take their place and continue the family's legacy."

Dracon's eyes widen, and he slides his hand inside the pocket of his pants. Dracon brings out a phone from the pocket of his pants, then presses on its screen, and moves it closer to his ear.

"I see, then we will arrive there in a short matter of seconds." Dracon moved his phone inside the pocket of his pants.

Dryden looks at Dracon. "Let me guess, Amoux has awakened?"

Dracon moves his eyes to Dryden, and he shakes his head. "No, but my men caught the ones who shot Amoux. I will do my best to interrogate them."

"Keep safe," Dryden told him.

Dracon nods and begins to run from Dryden whilst Dryden remains staring at his brother