The therapist playbook

EVILS NEXT MOVE

Léah-par got ready in his quarters. Tei stood by the large window watching him, his dark silhouette barely discernible against the pale glow of the dreamscape. Outside, Tei's realm was quiet, the shifting landscapes a reflection of her ever-changing mind. But the stillness of the dream was disturbed by a soft knock at the door. Zephyr entered, his heavy boots making barely a sound on the polished floor.

"My lord," Zephyr bowed, his eyes glowing faintly. "You called for me?"

Léah-par remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed outside. Without turning, he spoke, his voice as cold as the air in the room. "It's time."

Zephyr tensed, knowing what this meant. "Shall I prepare the escorts?"

"No." Léah-par’s voice was sharp. He finally turned to face Zephyr, his eyes glowing ominously. "I will go alone."

Zephyr stepped forward, concern etched into his expression. "Master, with respect, it would be wise to—"

"You question my strength, Zephyr?" Léah-par’s tone darkened, his eyes narrowing.

Zephyr quickly shook his head. "Never, my lord. But... it would be prudent to take caution. We don’t know what this thief might attempt."

A twisted smile curled on Léah-par's lips as he stepped closer to Zephyr, towering over him. "There is no being on this earth, or any other plane, as strong as I am. I do not need your concern."

Zephyr bowed his head, recognizing the futility of his argument. "Understood, my lord. I will remain here, should the thief make his move."

Léah-par turned away, satisfied with the response. "Good. Do not fail me, Zephyr. I expect you to handle matters in my absence."

Zephyr clenched his fists. "As you wish, my lord."

Léah-par waved a hand, dismissing him, before stepping into the centre of the room. With a flick of his wrist, the dreamscape around him shimmered and vanished, and he descended into the waking world.

The café was loud with chatter, waiters weaving through the tables serving coffee and food to their patrons. Léah-par sat quietly, blending in with the crowd. He looked every bit like an ordinary man—dressed in a simple coat, sipping from a steaming cup. But there was nothing ordinary about him. His gaze fell on the glass box that sat on the counter in front of him, housing a small, black serpent.

The serpent slithered up to the edge of the glass, its dark scales gleaming under the café’s dim lights. It pressed its face against the glass, and slowly, the pattern of its scales shifted, forming words that no one else could see: “Back room.”

Léah-par’s lips curled into a smile. He took one last sip from his cup, placed it down, and stood up. Casually, as if taking a walk, he navigated through the café, weaving between the bustling waiters and patrons until he reached the door with a small, glowing exit sign above it. The arrow pointed toward a second door at the far end of the room.

As he approached, the air grew heavier, and the noise from the café seemed to fade into silence. The moment Léah-par stepped through the door, he felt the ground give way beneath him. Suddenly, he was falling—plummeting through a vast sky.

The wind whipped against his face, but his expression remained calm. “A petty trick,” he murmured to himself, disgust evident in his tone.

Through the clouds, he fell, descending until he crashed into the sand below, his landing kicking up a plume of dust around him. The desert stretched out in all directions, endless dunes of golden sand under the blazing sun. Léah-par crouched down, letting the sand slip through his fingers. He clenched his fist, standing tall once again. "Not an illusion," he whispered, scanning the horizon.

Meanwhile, miles away, Salem, the gifted dreamer Léah-par sought, was overseeing his greenhouse, his workers tending to the delicate plants under the glass. But something felt off. The air had grown unnaturally cold, the breath from Salem’s mouth visible in the chilled air. He turned sharply, sensing an oppressive presence watching him.

"Open the top of the greenhouse," Salem ordered one of his workers. "It's getting too cold in here."

The worker nodded and moved to comply, but Salem’s attention was elsewhere. He could feel the weight of Léah-par's gaze, though he could see no one. A dark, looming shadow threatened to encroach on his world, though the figure remained unseen.

Back in the desert, Léah-par lay down on the sand, closing his eyes as he prepared to dive into the sight of his target. His newly acquired gift, taken from Isaac, now allowed him to reach into the thoughts and locations of those he sought. The connection was faint at first, but it quickly grew stronger as he focused.

Salem appeared before his mind’s eye, the vision forming clearly as Léah-par delved deeper into his consciousness. A sinister smile crept across his face. “Found you.”

The café was still bustling as Léah-par returned to his body. With a slow, deliberate movement, he stood and adjusted his coat. His time in the desert had only been moments in the real world, but he had seen enough. His target was close.

As he made his way toward the exit, the serpent in the glass box flicked its tongue against the glass, sensing the shift in its master's mood.

The door closed behind him, the noise of the café fading into the distance as Léah-par stepped into the busy street, his mind already calculating his next move, his long coat trailing behind him as he moved with quiet purpose. The afternoon sun beat down on the city, casting long shadows between the towering buildings. But as he walked, a sharp pain shot through his body. A shockwave rippled outward, radiating from deep inside his chest. He staggered, losing his footing as the world around him spun.

His vision blurred, and he almost collapsed onto the pavement. In the chaos of the moment, a hand caught his arm, steadying him. He blinked, focusing on the person who had saved him from hitting the ground.

“Hey, are you okay?” a woman’s voice asked, concerned.

Léah-par straightened, trying to push the pain aside. But as their eyes met, something far more powerful than his physical weakness took over.

In an instant, he saw everything—her past, present, and future, unravelling before him in a flash of memories and events.

She was young, perhaps only five or six, standing in the doorway of a small house. Her eyes were wide and filled with tears as her parents, dressed for a night out, waved goodbye. A few hours later, police officers knocked on the door to inform her aunt that her parents had died in a car accident. She never saw them again.

Raised by her aunt, she grew up in a quiet town, isolated from the world except for her best friend—a scrappy little dog named Miko. She spent her childhood with Miko by her side, the dog always offering comfort when she felt lonely.

Years later, she stood on a stage in a high school graduation gown, her eyes scanning the crowd for her aunt. Miko had passed by then, and though the joy of the day was undeniable, a part of her still felt the sting of loss.

Then came college—meeting friends, falling in love, and planning her future. The vision shifted, and Léah-par saw her with her fiancé, a tall man with dark hair, kneeling in front of her, a ring in hand. They were in a garden surrounded by flowers. She was laughing, overwhelmed with happiness as she accepted the proposal.

But then, in the dead of night, another image appeared—her wedding night. Her new husband was in a hotel room, but not with her. He was with another woman, betraying her on the very night they were supposed to celebrate their union. She wouldn’t find out for months, but it would break her when she did.

The visions passed as quickly as they came, and Léah-par released her arm. The woman, oblivious to what he had just seen, still looked at him with concern.

“You... you should go to the hospital,” she said softly. “You look pale.”

Léah-par shook his head, forcing a polite smile. "No need. Thank you for your kindness."

Without another word, he turned and walked away from her. She stood there for a moment, watching him leave, before disappearing into the crowd. Léah-par's mind buzzed with the knowledge of her future. The weight of what he had seen in her life didn’t matter. It was simply another vision, another moment in the vast array of lives he crossed.

Night had fallen by the time Léah-par arrived at the brothel. The red neon lights flickered lazily, casting a dull glow over the entrance. He stepped inside, not caring about the seedy environment or the people who stared at him as he walked past.

The room he was given was dark and quiet, exactly what he needed. Without bothering to undress, he collapsed onto the bed and closed his eyes. Within minutes, he was drifting, falling into the black void of sleep where nothing awaited him. No dreams, no visions—just silence.

But after hours of floating in that empty space, Léah-par’s eyes snapped open. He awoke with a start, his body tense. He sat up, with a lazy breathing , the room was still.

He needed to move.

Throwing on his coat, Léah-par left the brothel and made his way to De Grande Suite, a luxury hotel he had scouted earlier. His destination was clear, and his mind focused on one task.

But as he approached the grand entrance, he was stopped by two burly security guards who blocked his path.

"Do you have a reservation, sir?" one of them asked, his voice flat and professional.

Léah-par’s eyes narrowed. "I don’t need one."

The guard exchanged a glance with his partner before shaking his head. "I’m afraid you do. If you don’t have a room or a reservation, you can’t enter."

Léah-par stood his ground, his patience wearing thin. "I need to be inside."

The second guard stepped forward, folding his arms. "Rules are rules, pal. If you don’t have a room, you’re not getting in."

Léah-par’s fingers twitched at his side. It would’ve been easy—too easy—to make them disappear, but drawing attention to himself here wasn’t part of the plan. He needed to be discreet.

With a nod, he backed away, but as he did, he noticed a woman walking toward the entrance. Her key card was clipped to her bag, barely visible, but enough for him to take advantage of.

As she approached, Léah-par smoothly intercepted her path, offering a charming smile. "Excuse me, miss, could you help me with something? I’m a bit lost here."

She looked up, taken aback by his sudden approach, but smiled hesitantly. "Sure, what’s the problem?"

Léah-par made casual conversation, his flirtatious tone drawing her in as they talked about trivial matters. She laughed at one of his comments, and as they continued chatting, she led him inside the hotel without even realising it.

Once inside, Léah-par smoothly diverted the conversation, giving a subtle glance toward the elevators. "You’re staying here, right? Nice place."

The woman nodded. "Yeah, it's great. Very fancy."

Léah-par spotted the room key clipped to her bag. "Why don’t we grab a drink together?"

She hesitated, unsure of his intentions, but the allure of his charm made her smile again. "Maybe later."

With that, he deftly excused himself and left her in the lobby, making his way to the elevators. He rode up to the third floor and found room 342 without difficulty.

Standing in front of the door, he knocked. At first, there was no response. Then, after a second, a voice called out from behind the door.

"Who is it?"

Léah-par didn’t answer. Instead, he pressed his hand against the door, and with a pulse of energy, the lock clicked open. Pushing the door inward, he stepped inside.

The man inside the room barely had time to react before Léah-par grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall. His face twisted with fear, but Léah-par’s grip was merciless.

Without a word, he beat the man into submission, his fists landing heavy blows. By the time he was done, the man lay half-dead and naked on the floor, gasping for air, his face bloodied and swollen.

Léah-par turned to leave, but as he approached the door, he felt the woman’s presence before she even entered the room. She froze as soon as she saw him, her body trembling with terror.

Léah-par didn't even need to say a word. His very presence flooded her with fear.

As he stepped past her, he muttered quietly to himself, "Infidelity is the worst sin when it comes to love."

With that, he disappeared into the night, leaving behind nothing but fear and devastation.