The Man in the Shadows
813 Words
The lights returned.
But the darkness remained.
Every monitor inside Raven Tower flashed crimson.
SECURITY BREACH.
LEVEL OMEGA.
LOCATION: SUBLEVEL 99.
A deafening alarm echoed through the tower.
For the first time since Alina had met him...
Lucien looked genuinely concerned.
"EVA."
"Yes, Master."
"Seal every floor."
"Already completed."
"Lock down the Obsidian Vault."
A brief silence followed.
Then EVA answered.
"I'm afraid I can't."
Lucien slowly turned.
"What do you mean?"
"The vault..."
"...has already been opened."
---
Ninety-nine floors below...
A lone figure walked through a corridor carved entirely from polished black stone.
The walls were covered with ancient symbols that pulsed with faint golden light.
One after another...
massive security doors unlocked before him.
No passwords.
No retinal scans.
No resistance.
It was as if the tower itself recognized him.
The man wore a long black coat.
His face remained hidden beneath the hood.
Only his golden eyes were visible.
He stopped before an enormous circular door.
At its center was the same symbol Alina had seen in the sky.
He placed his palm against it.
The metal groaned.
Then split apart.
Inside...
rested a single object.
A sword.
Its blade was forged from black crystal.
Its edge shimmered like liquid darkness.
The stranger smiled.
"So..."
"My old friend still keeps souvenirs."
He reached for the weapon.
The moment his fingers touched it...
the entire tower shook.
---
On the eighty-second floor...
Alina almost lost her balance.
"What was that?"
Lucien's voice was cold.
"He touched my sword."
"You mean someone stole it?"
"No."
Lucien looked toward the floor beneath them.
"It allowed itself to be touched."
---
Within seconds...
Lucien and Alina entered a circular elevator.
There were no buttons.
The floor beneath them simply disappeared.
The elevator dropped silently through the heart of Raven Tower.
They passed laboratories.
Armories.
Gardens.
Libraries containing books older than modern civilization.
Entire levels hidden from the world.
Alina stared in amazement.
"How big is this place?"
Lucien answered without looking at her.
"Much larger on the inside than the outside."
She frowned.
"That's impossible."
Lucien finally looked at her.
"You're going to have to stop using that word."
---
The elevator stopped.
Sublevel 99.
The doors opened.
A freezing wind rushed toward them.
The corridor beyond was completely dark.
Except...
for glowing golden footprints leading deeper into the vault.
Lucien drew a long black dagger from inside his coat.
Its blade reflected no light.
"Stay behind me."
"I can help."
"Not yet."
His tone left no room for argument.
---
They reached the vault.
The giant door hung open.
The sword was gone.
Only one man remained.
He stood with his back toward them, admiring the weapon in his hands.
Without turning around, he spoke.
"You've become sentimental."
Lucien's grip tightened.
"I thought I killed you."
The stranger laughed softly.
"You certainly tried."
He slowly turned.
Alina's breath caught.
The man looked almost identical to Lucien.
The same height.
The same sharp features.
The same silver hair.
But where Lucien's eyes shone like polished silver...
this man's burned like molten gold.
His smile carried no warmth.
Only danger.
"So this is her?"
His gaze settled on Alina.
"I expected the Queen to be... older."
Alina instinctively stepped back.
"Who are you?"
He bowed with exaggerated elegance.
"My name..."
"...is Kael."
Lucien interrupted.
"Don't listen to him."
Kael chuckled.
"He still introduces me as the villain."
"You murdered millions."
"I liberated them."
"You started every Shadow War."
"I ended every false peace."
The brothers stood facing one another.
Alina looked from one to the other.
"Brothers?"
Kael smiled.
"Twins."
Lucien answered quietly.
"Once."
---
Kael's eyes returned to Alina.
"So..."
"Do you know why he rescued you?"
She remained silent.
"He didn't save you because you're innocent."
Kael lifted the black crystal sword.
"He saved you because he failed to save you before."
Lucien's face hardened.
"Enough."
Kael ignored him.
"Seven hundred years ago..."
"...you died in his arms."
Alina's heart skipped a beat.
"No..."
"I've never met him."
"Haven't you?"
Kael raised the sword.
The blade projected countless images into the air.
A magnificent obsidian kingdom.
A young queen wearing a crystal crown.
A silver-haired king kneeling beside her.
Blood covered his hands.
The queen smiled weakly.
Then closed her eyes forever.
Alina gasped.
The queen...
had her face.
Exactly.
Every feature.
Every expression.
Every scar.
She stumbled backward.
"This... this isn't real."
Lucien spoke, almost pleading.
"Alina..."
"Don't believe everything you see."
Kael laughed.
"That's your greatest weakness, brother."
"You still think truth can protect people."
He pointed the sword directly at Alina.
"Ask him one question."
Alina looked at Lucien.
Kael smiled.
"Ask him..."
"...who killed you."
Silence filled the vault.
Lucien closed his eyes.
For the first time...
he couldn't answer.
And Alina realized the man she was beginning to trust...
was hiding the most important secret of all.
- Writer
