When the Sun End

Chapter 9: The Darkness Within

Aeris’s heart pounded in her chest as Lucian’s words hung in the air, heavy and uncertain. "I'm not who you think I am."

The world around her seemed to freeze, the quiet hum of the school hallway suddenly distant and muffled. Every step, every breath, felt magnified. The usual weight of the day’s routine had evaporated, leaving nothing but the pressing uncertainty of what Lucian had just said.

Aeris searched his face, her eyes wide with disbelief. There was no sign of humor, no teasing glint in his eyes. He was dead serious. And that alone made her nervous. The Lucian she knew had always been distant, enigmatic, but never… scary.

“What do you mean?” she asked, barely above a whisper. Her voice shook, betraying the nervousness rising within her. “Who are you, Lucian?”

Lucian ran a hand through his disheveled hair, his usual calm demeanor cracking for the first time since they met. The facade that he had carefully built around himself was crumbling, and for the first time, Aeris saw the real person behind the mask.

“I don’t want to get you involved, Aeris,” Lucian said, his voice low and tight, as though every word was a struggle. He glanced around, clearly uneasy, like he was looking for something—or someone. “But I can’t keep lying to you either. There’s a reason people like Vance are after me. There’s a reason you’ve started noticing things.”

Aeris’s mind raced, her pulse quickening. Vance. The mysterious figure from the abandoned room. Aeris shuddered just thinking about him, about the way he’d looked at her—like he knew her, like she was a part of something bigger than herself. A part of Lucian’s world.

“Lucian, I need you to tell me what’s going on,” she said, her voice more firm now. Despite the rising fear inside her, she couldn’t back down. She had to understand. She had to know the truth.

Lucian sighed deeply, his eyes flickering with something that could have been regret. “You’re not ready to hear this,” he murmured, turning away for a moment as though contemplating his next words carefully. But then he looked back at her, his expression conflicted. He was struggling.

"Fine," he said finally, his voice strained. "But I need you to promise me something first."

Aeris felt a chill run through her. "What?"

"Promise me that if I tell you this, you won’t run. Promise me you’ll stay." Lucian’s voice was thick with emotion, and for the first time, he seemed vulnerable in a way she hadn’t thought possible. There was no bravado, no cool detachment. Just raw, naked fear.

“I promise,” she whispered.

It was a decision that Aeris knew would change everything.

Lucian took a deep breath and stepped back slightly, as though he needed some space to gather himself. “I wasn’t born into a normal family,” he began, his voice quieter now, like he was revealing something too dark to say aloud. “My father was… a part of something dangerous. Something illegal. He was involved in underground organizations, and not just in our city. He was tied to powerful people—people who could destroy everything if they wanted to.”

Aeris’s heart skipped a beat. “But what does that have to do with you?”

Lucian looked down, his eyes clouding over. “My father… he made enemies. People who still want to get to him. And they know I’m his son.” He paused, then added, “They’ve been after me for years. They want to use me to get to him. But I—I didn’t choose this life.”

Aeris’s stomach tightened as the weight of his words settled over her. She had always wondered about the darkness that seemed to follow him, but she never imagined it ran this deep. Lucian wasn’t just some mysterious new kid at school. He was running from danger—danger that could reach her too.

“So Vance,” Aeris murmured, piecing the information together, “he’s after you because of your father?”

Lucian nodded slowly. “Yes. But it’s not just Vance. There are others, even more dangerous, who have been hunting me down for years. I don’t want you to get caught in the crossfire, Aeris. You don’t belong in this world.”

Aeris’s breath caught in her throat. She had always thought Lucian was an enigma, but this—this was far beyond anything she could have imagined. It wasn’t just about a boy and a girl; it was about a war Lucian had been fighting his entire life. And now, somehow, she was tangled up in it.

Aeris took a step toward him, her heart pounding. “Lucian, you don’t have to push me away. I—”

Suddenly, a sharp crash interrupted them, echoing through the hall. Aeris spun around, her heart leaping in her chest. From the corner of the hallway, a shadow emerged—Vance.

“You thought you could hide from me, Lucian?” Vance’s voice was cold and mocking as he stepped forward, his hands tucked casually into his pockets. “You thought you could just walk away? You can’t outrun your past.”

Lucian stiffened, but this time, he didn’t back down. His eyes narrowed, his body coiling with tension. “Leave, Vance. This isn’t your fight.”

Vance’s lips curled into a smirk. “Oh, it’s much bigger than that now, don’t you think? You’ve made it personal.”

Aeris felt her chest tighten, panic rising in her throat. This was no longer just about Lucian’s past. It was about her too. The moment Vance laid eyes on her, she knew she couldn’t run anymore. She was already in too deep. Too far gone.

"Lucian, what do we do?" Aeris whispered, fear seeping into her voice.

Lucian’s gaze flickered to her, his eyes dark with determination. “Stay close to me, Aeris. No matter what happens.”