Heir of legacy
1363 Words
The night was cold when I left the hospital.
The humiliation of the day weighed on me, but not as much as the strange sensation of power that had taken root in my soul. I could still feel the remnants of the energy I had used against Ryker, like a glowing ember waiting to ignite.
But there, beneath the dead city lights, none of that mattered.
I just wanted to go home.
I walked through the silent streets, hands in the pockets of my thin coat, which barely shielded me from the biting wind. The hospital was close to Silver Lake, a place famous for its beauty during the day and its danger at night. The dark waters swallowed any reflection of the moon, turning it into a bottomless mirror.
Then, I heard the scream.
A sharp, desperate sound.
A boy stood at the edge of the lake, frantically gesturing. His face was pale with terror.
“Someone, please! My brother fell into the water!”
Adrenaline surged through my veins.
My legs were already moving before I could even think.
The freezing water burned my skin as I dove in. My muscles protested against the thermal shock, but I ignored it. My eyes searched the liquid darkness until I found the boy, thrashing frantically.
I swam hard, grabbing him before he could sink any further.
"Calm down, I’ve got you," I murmured, pulling him to the surface.
He coughed and clung to my arm, trembling uncontrollably. With one last effort, I brought him to the shore, where his brother and some passersby had already gathered.
Small arms wrapped around my neck.
“Thank you, sir,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
Instinctively, I felt part of my energy transferring to him, neutralizing the damage to his lungs.
Looking at that child, realizing that this new gift could save more lives, made my heart ache even more.
As a mere caregiver, I was extremely limited in what I could do at the hospital. What was the point of this magic if the people who needed me the most couldn’t access it?
A firm hand rested on my shoulder.
“You saved my grandson,” a deep voice said behind me.
I turned to see an elderly man dressed in an expensive overcoat, his eyes examining the wet boy in my arms. His expression was rigid, but there was a glimmer of genuine gratitude there.
“I’m William Lancaster,” he introduced himself.
The name sounded familiar, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it.
“Allow me to reward you for your bravery.”
I shook my head, letting out a sigh.
“There’s no need. I just did what anyone would do.”
“I insist, young man.”
“I appreciate it, but I really don’t need a reward. Just get them out of their wet clothes and keep them warm.”
The boy’s brother, who had been in a panic moments ago, suddenly hugged me tightly. Surprised, I hesitated before returning the gesture, patting his back reassuringly.
“It’s okay. Your brother is safe.”
“Thank you so much, sir.”
The old man’s eyes narrowed as he studied me.
“Modest and brave,” he remarked. Then, he gestured to a tall, serious-looking man beside him. “Jason, write down his name.”
Jason, his subordinate, nodded and gave me an analytical look before pulling out a small notebook from his pocket.
“I’m Dave. Dave Hetfield.”
I was already stepping away when a different kind of shiver ran down my spine.
An unusual aura surrounded the old man.
I blinked a few times, trying to understand.
What was that?
His outline seemed to flicker in the air, as if an invisible mist enveloped him. His heart… it was beating erratically, his lungs moving unevenly.
He was sick.
And it wasn’t something ordinary.
The sensation wrapped around me like a cold whisper down my spine. The world around me seemed to quiet, as if forcing me to focus only on the man before me.
William Lancaster.
Something was wrong with him.
His form flickered slightly, like a candle fighting against the wind. I wasn’t seeing this with my eyes, but with something beyond them. A perception that shouldn’t be there, yet felt as natural as breathing.
I blinked again, my heart pounding faster.
I couldn’t explain how, but I could sense it. The moon above seemed like a beacon of energy. My lupine senses were on high alert.
His lungs moved irregularly, hesitantly. His heart, though strong, skipped beats by mere milliseconds, like a gear on the verge of wearing out.
It wasn’t a cold or a simple ailment. It was something no one had diagnosed.
Something hidden.
My body reacted before my mind could filter the words.
“You should get a check-up,” I blurted, as if the phrase didn’t come from me but from some greater force guiding my tongue.
William frowned, his wrinkles deepening.
Jason, beside him, paused his writing and lifted his eyes to me, his expression suddenly alert.
Silence stretched for a moment.
The old man chuckled, but there was something stiff in his laughter.
“Boy… you have no idea how many renowned doctors I’ve seen. None of them could diagnose me.”
I crossed my arms, tilting my head slightly.
“Maybe they’re looking in the wrong place.”
Jason was now staring at me with more interest than before, like a wolf (how ironic) catching an unfamiliar scent in the forest.
“Oh? And where does this certainty come from, Mr. Hetfield?”
I hesitated.
What could I say? That ever since I was beaten and heard voices in the void, I had awakened abilities I’d never had before? That I could apparently sense illnesses in people’s bodies as if they were visible scars?
He’d think I was insane.
So, I simply shrugged.
“Just a hunch.”
The answer made him suspicious.
Jason cleared his throat and took a step forward, closing his notebook with a firm motion.
“Forgive my intrusion, Mr. Hetfield,” his voice was polite, but there was an underlying weight to it, as if he was testing me. “Do you work in the medical field, by any chance?”
My eyes narrowed slightly before I answered.
“I used to.”
William and Jason exchanged a brief glance, a silent conversation passing between them.
“I see.” Jason gave a slight smile, but it was a calculated one. “Well, we appreciate your help tonight. It was truly noble of you to save young Henry.”
The boy I had rescued was still trembling, clutching his brother’s hand tightly.
“Thank you, sir,” he whispered again, his eyes filled with childlike admiration.
I rubbed the back of my neck, uncomfortable with the attention.
“It was nothing.”
I took a step back, feeling I had lingered too long.
“I should go.”
“Wait.”
William’s voice stopped me.
There was something different in his tone now.
“You really don’t want a reward?” His eyes, once just grateful, were now sharper, assessing me more deeply. “Money, a favor… anything?”
The way he spoke made something click inside me.
William Lancaster was no ordinary man. I didn’t know exactly who he was, but his posture, his expensive clothes, and the way Jason carried himself beside him said a lot.
He wasn’t used to being refused.
“I don’t need anything,” I replied firmly.
His lips curled slightly.
“Interesting.”
I was already walking away when I felt that strange sensation again.
The same inner whisper.
Like a deep instinct telling me I wasn’t done with this man.
But I ignored it and kept going.
Behind me, William remained silent for a few seconds, watching my figure disappear into the darkness.
Then, without taking his eyes off me, he spoke quietly:
“Jason.”
“Sir?”
“Find out everything about that boy.”
Jason smirked, pulling out his phone and quickly dialing.
“I’m already on it.”
- Writer
