Night came, and Desmond found himself alone in the room. He would have called it luxurious, but this was something else entirely. The bed was enormous, more luxurious than anything he had ever laid on in his life. Honestly, when they first showed him the room and left him alone, he could barely bring himself to sit on it. The polished, flawless ceiling stretched endlessly above him, reflecting the soft glow of hidden lights. Everything was spacious. The air conditioning was cool and gentle. After a bath, he was wrapped in silky clothes that felt like warm clouds against his skin.He stared at the ceiling and just breathed. He had been told a bit about the Golden Empire, his new powers and his responsibilities. And yet, above all else, he thought of Vivian.Tomorrow, he would go to see her. He could hardly wait. She would see him not as the broken boy she had been separated from, but as someone who had survived. Someone who could change her life for good.He closed his eyes, letting t

“Good evening, Golden Onyx. So sorry to disturb you but something really bad is going on.” The voice said quickly.Evening? Desmond raised a brow, it was still morning. But he chose to ignore it as the voice sounded very serious."What?…" Desmond asked quickly. "What? What do you mean? What's going on?" he asked, his heart racing at the sudden, shocking information.“Actually, at Eternal Care Hospital and Aurora Grace Hospital, at least 130 patients in each hospital died suddenly. Their vitals went flat at the same time, and there is no natural explanation.”Desmond’s eyes widened. “What?” he asked.“Yes, Golden Onyx. The council is already assembled and waiting for you in the conference room, at the Golden Empire.” “Alright. I’ll be there shortly.” Desmond said immediately.The call ended and he lowered the phone slowly and looked up to see Vivian watching him, worry written all over her face.“Please don’t look at me like that,” he said softly, forcing a small smile. “Something’s w

The atmosphere in the Golden Empire was tense. Only three people were present—Desmond, Asher, and another man dressed neatly in a black suit. The vast room felt unusually quiet.Asher paced back and forth slowly, his footsteps steady but restless. Desmond sat at the table, his shoulders stiff.Desmond lifted his gaze. “Who exactly is Blackwood?” he asked. “And what does he stand to gain from killing so many people?”Asher stopped pacing and placed both hands on the desk, leaning forward slightly. “Blackwood is the Black Finger,” he said calmly. “Just as you are the Golden Finger.”Desmond’s throat tightened.“He is your opposite,” Asher continued. “Where your power heals and restores, his power destroys and disrupts. Life and decay. Creation and collapse.”Desmond swallowed slowly.“As for what he gains,” Asher went on, “that part isn’t entirely clear. But one thing is certain, he left his dark aura behind on purpose. That means he wanted us to notice.”Desmond leaned back, processing

“He’s this… little?” Desmond said in disbelief as he stared at the boy.Asher glanced at him. “I wouldn’t describe him as little.”Desmond raised a brow anyway. He stepped closer and leaned down slightly, examining the boy. “He looks like some kind of…” he paused, squinting, “...like a child. An actual kid—”One moment the boy was standing still, silent and unimpressed. The next thing, the boy’s fist connected with Desmond’s face.Desmond didn’t even register the impact, only the force. He was sent flying across the room, his body slamming hard against the floor before he landed on his butt, stunned. Desmond stared ahead in complete disbelief, one hand braced on the floor as he tried to process what had just happened.Asher sighed, rubbing his temple, his gaze shifting briefly to Erius. “He’s the Golden Onyx, y’know?” he said calmly. Irius didn’t respond. He only stared at Desmond, his expression empty, almost unreadable.Desmond pushed himself up slowly, his backside aching where

Desmond’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the teacup, then slowly at his own hands. “All I did was crack it,” he muttered.Irius raised an eyebrow. “It didn’t crack. That was just a chip.”“What?” Desmond looked up at him, frustration evident in his voice. “But how come I could only do so little?”“Like I said,” Irius replied calmly, “you’re just beginning.”Desmond opened his mouth to argue but then the doors suddenly swung open.Asher stepped in, his expression sharp, all traces of calm gone. “I don’t mean to interrupt your training, Golden Onyx,” he said, “but there’s something you need to see.”Desmond’s brows shot up. “What is it?”“This way. Follow me.”Desmond immediately followed Asher out of the gym and into one of the halls. They stopped in front of a wide wall monitor.Asher folded his arms. “Joey,” he said, “show us the news.”The monitor blinked once, then lit up, revealing the live news.Desmond's eyes widened as he read the headlines: MIRACLE MAN SPOTTED AT TH