The tension inside the tunnel was growing. Every step echoed off the concrete walls, as they moved through the tunnel like ghosts. Jack led the way, weapons drawn, while Mara covered their rear with sharp eyes and steady hands. Liam walked in the middle, his mind far away. Suddenly, he heard a sharp static buzz in his ear again and then Mia’s voice.“Liam… help me…”Liam stopped immediately, and Jack turned around. “You hear it again?”Liam nodded, clenching his jaw. “She’s close.”The static shifted again, twisting the sound until Darius’s voice broke through, calm and mocking.“She’s waiting, Liam. You’re almost there. Don’t stop now.”Liam’s hand curled into a fist, his mind filled with rage.“Keep it together,” Jack warned noticing the shift on his face. “You know this is what he wants.”“I don’t care,” Liam snapped. “He has her and I’m not backing off.”Jack exhaled tiredly. “I’m not saying back off. I want to find her as well, but at least slow down. If you rush in, we all die.”

As the light continued increasing, it became almost blinding till everything turned white and Liam blacked out. He woke up a while later, pressing his hand against the floor to look around. The air was thick and alive, filled with energy that crackled and pulsed through the walls like lightning. He was lying on stone, but it felt like it was breathing. The chamber around him glowed with deep red and black light, dark veins of Ogini energy running across the floor and ceiling.And in the center of it all stood Darius. No longer the man Liam once knew. His form had changed completely, part man, part monster. His skin shimmered like black stone cracked with fire underneath. His eyes burned bright with the mark of the Ogini, and long tendrils of energy moved behind him like shadows with a mind of their own.“Mia…” Liam whispered as he looked past Darius. Suspended in a large, floating crystal of pure black, Mia hung unconscious. Her face was peaceful, but her body was limp, trapped in the

The hum of the car engine faded as Liam and Mia pulled up to the safe house. Liam and Mia had taken a quick detour before returning home against the group’s better judgment. Jack hurriedly opened the door before they could knock, his eyes scanning them both like he wasn’t sure if they were real or ghosts.“You made it,” Jack said, relief soft but clear in his voice.Liam gave a tired nod. His body ached in every place he could feel and some he couldn’t. Mia stayed close, clinging to Liam as if every memory of what had happened was still vivid in her mind, her hand still laced with his. They stepped inside together.The air inside was tense. No one cheered, no one smiled. The weight of this battle was still looming over everyone, and they gave each other space, respect. Maybe even understanding.Evelyn was already waiting in the back room with a first aid kit, and without a word, she gestured for Liam to sit.“I’m fine,” Liam started, but Mia gave him a stern look, and even Evelyn didn

Despite the tensions brewing in the air, the Steven’s mansion was strangely quiet. Mia walked through its marbled halls, every step echoing against the polished floors. She hadn’t been here in weeks—not since the storm with Darius, not since her world had been turned upside down. She wasn’t even sure why she’d come back. Then again, when Lord Steven called, it wasn’t something you ignored.He was waiting for her in his private study, the one with the heavy oak door and the old books stacked like bricks of history.“Mia,” he said warmly, standing as she entered. “I appreciate you coming.”She gave a polite nod and took the seat across from him.There was a long pause before he spoke again. “You’ve made hard choices lately. And while I don’t say it often enough… I see your loyalty. And I admire it.”Mia didn’t answer right away. She just watched him.Lord Steven exhaled and leaned forward. “But I have to ask—what do you really want, Mia? With Liam. With this family.” He paused, letting

The rain had stopped, but the clouds still hung low, heavy and quiet. Liam sat on the edge of the rooftop, watching the city lights flicker through the mist. Behind him, the door creaked open and soft footsteps followed. Mia sat beside him, pulling her coat tighter around her, her face filled with unsaid questions, and for a moment, neither of them said anything.Then she whispered, “Can I ask you something?”Liam didn’t look at her. He only smiled coyly and said. “You already did.”Mia smiled faintly and shifted towards him. “I mean something real.”Sensing the depth in her tone, Liam nodded slowly. “Go ahead.”Mia shifted, resting her hands in her lap. “Why do you always hold back?”He turned to her, finally meeting her eyes, but confused about the question.“I’m not talking about the war, or the missions,” she added quickly. “Not the Tribunal, not Peter, not Darius. I mean… you. The person behind all of it. I know you’ve been trying. You’ve let me in more these past few weeks than