VENGEANCE RISES

Ashes of Regret

The rhythmic hum of the helicopter"s sharp and quick blades filled the air as Kadmiel

leaned back in his seat. His eyes were closed, but his mind racing. He had been humming a

silent melody to himself while he was lost in thought.

The mission had been successful. Kelita was safe, and the auction house was nothing but

rubble.

He should feel a sense of relief and joy, but instead the news from his sister about Leah

weighed heavily on him.

"Two children..." he signed and whispered to himself, letting the reality sink in, the air

seemed cold.

He was a father. He had not seen Leah in years, since the incident took place, and now

she carried not just one child, but two of his children.

Beside him, Kelita shifted in her seat. "It shocked me too," she said softly as if she had

been reading his thoughts all these while, breaking the silence.

She glanced over at her brother, staring at his calm but obviously overthinking behavior,

her face pale but calm, the trauma of her own ordeal at the auction house beginning to fade.

"Leah... she has been through a lot since you left you know, Kadmiel. She refused to

betray you after everything, even when her family kept pressuring her to seek compensation

from ours after...well…you know…everything.

They threw her out right after that." Kadmiel"s eyes shot open, focusing on his sister’s pale

face during her explanation.

"Expelled? Sorry… disowned?" he asked, anger and guilt flooding him all at once. Kelita

nodded.

"Her family wanted to make an example of her. She has been living in terrible conditions

ever since, trying to make ends meet. Feeding hand to mouth since then, it really has not

been easy for her.

She did not have anyone else to turn to. She is hurt, big bro. She’s been hurting ever

since you left for the military. She thought... you had abandoned her.”

The words struck him like a blow on his chest. Kadmiel clenched his fists, his heart heavy

with pain and regret. A new round of hatred for the four great families seemed to restart in

his mind.

He had joined the military to protect those he loved, to destroy the enemies that

threatened his family and future, to make sure those that set him up were brought to face the

full wrath of the law.

But in doing so, he had left Leah behind, alone and vulnerable.

Phoenix, sitting across from him, noticed the change in Kadmiel’s expression. She shot a

concerned glance at Kelita, but she shook her head subtly, signaling her not to interfere.

“She rejected me when I tried to see her, Kadmiel," Kelita continued, her voice steady. "I

wanted to meet the children, but she would not let me near them or even into her house.

She is scared, and I do not blame her. What happened with her family... with you... it broke

her.”

Kadmiel was silent for a long moment, his mind replaying the years of conflict, duty, and

loss.

He had fought to save his family, but in the process, he had destroyed a woman’s life, a

woman he cared about. A woman who helped him escape the shackles of condemnation.

And now there were two innocent lives caught in the middle of this mess."I would go to her

later," he said finally, his voice firm.

"She deserves to hear the truth. And I will make things right, for her and for the children.

“Kelita smiled weakly, her relief tangible. "Iam quite sure she will listen... eventually."

The helicopter began to descend, signaling their return to base. But for Kadmiel, his

thoughts left him restless, he had not realised it was time to alight from the helicopter till

Phoenix shook him and he recovered from his little trance.

***Meanwhile, at Kadmiel"s exquisite family estate***

The grand halls of the estate echoed with an undisturbed silence.

Dust floated in the sunbeams as they were streaming through the windows, the once

thriving heart of the family now a hollow shell of its former glory.

Lincoln Craig stood in the doorway, his eyes scanning the vast expanse of the mansion

with a mixture of greed, pain and disgust.

"So this is what is left of the great family," he muttered, stepping inside. Behind him, a

group of men—all former allies turned traitors—followed him with anticipation, their eyes

gleaming at the thought of the wealth hidden within these walls.Lincoln sneered as his boots

echoed against the marble floor. "I served that family for years," he spat. "And what did I get

in return? Nothing. Their power is gone now, and it’s time for me to take what I’m

owed."From the shadows, the family butler, an elderly man named Bartholomew, emerged.

His weathered face was filled with a mixture of sorrow and determination as he stepped

forward to confront the intruders. "Mr. Craig," he said, his voice trembling but resolute, "you

served Master Kadmiel’s father loyally for many years. How could you betray them like

this?"Lincoln chuckled darkly. "Loyalty is a thing of the past, old man. The Kadmiel family’s

power died with their parents. Now it’s every man for himself."Bartholomew’s heart ached at

the sight of Lincoln’s betrayal. He had watched Lincoln rise through the ranks under the

command of Kadmiel’s father, a trusted soldier, a man of honor. Now, he stood here, ready

to strip the family of everything they had left.

"I owe your father my life," Bartholomew said quietly, his hands trembling as he gripped the

hem of his jacket. "I won’t let you do this."Lincoln sneered, gesturing to his men. "Search the

place. Take anything of value."The group dispersed through the house, their footsteps

echoing as they began to ransack the rooms, pulling paintings off walls, smashing open

cabinets, and emptying drawers. Priceless artifacts, family heirlooms, all were thrown into

sacks with reckless abandon.Bartholomew followed Lincoln into the drawing room, where

the traitor was admiring a painting of Kadmiel’s parents—proud and regal, a reminder of the

legacy they had built."Think of what you’re doing, Mr. Craig," Bartholomew pleaded, his

voice desperate now. "These are sacred to the family. You can’t take them."Lincoln turned,

his eyes narrowing. "I’m done thinking, Bartholomew. I’ve spent years being the obedient

servant, following orders. Now it’s my turn to reap the benefits. The family is dead, and soon,

their legacy will be forgotten."Bartholomew shook his head in disbelief. "You’ll regret this.

You’ll never find peace after what you’ve done."Lincoln laughed, a cold, bitter sound.

"Peace? I’m not interested in peace. I’m interested in power."Suddenly, one of the men burst

into the room, panting and holding a small chest in his hands. "Sir, we found this in the

master’s study," he said, handing it over to Lincoln.

Lincoln’s eyes lit up as he opened the chest, revealing a collection of ancient jewelry, gold

coins, and scrolls—treasures that had been passed down through the Kadmiel family for

generations."This will do nicely," he muttered, greed gleaming in his eyes. Then, as if struck

by a sudden thought, he turned to Bartholomew, his expression darkening. "Burn

it."Bartholomew’s eyes widened in horror. "No! You can’t—"Lincoln’s gaze hardened. "I can.

And I will."The men began to spread gasoline around the room, soaking the furniture, the

curtains, the floors. Bartholomew ran forward, desperate, grabbing Lincoln by the arm.

"Please! Don’t destroy this house! Your hatred is with the family, not their legacy. Spare this

place!"But Lincoln only shrugged him off. "It’s all the same to me."As the first flame caught,

licking up the edge of the drapes, Bartholomew fell to his knees, watching helplessly as the

home he had sworn to protect went up in flames.