The coffin sank slowly into the wet earth as the funeral came to an end. Rain poured down on umbrellas of different colours, turning the graveyard into a gathering of people dressed in black suits.Adrian stood with his own umbrella over his head, dressed in an all-black corporate suit.His eyes stayed fixed on the grave of his wife, his lover, his anchor. Sarah. The person who had brought joy into his life was now slowly being lowered into the ground. Adrian still felt like all of this was a joke.He had woken up days earlier, injured and bandaged in several places. The doctors told him that he was lucky to be alive because when they found him, he was already dead.The only name he kept repeating was Sarah as he constantly asked whether she was safe but reality hit him harder than expected when he heard she didn't make it.He didn't cry, as it felt pointless at this point.All his emotions just shut off as he tried to tell himself that all of this was a joke. A prank that would end w

Adrian learned the hard way that Lirielle wasn't exaggerating when she said getting accepted into the Black Cross was the easy part as the real nightmare came afterward.The past three months had been the most stressful and punishing phase of Adrian's life as every single day went into a cycle of pain and exhaustion that pushed every limit he had.He spent up to twelve hours in the gym pushing weights, dumbbells, barbells and Machine weights as these were his best friends for the past three months.His legs ached as he ran laps around the underground tracks until he lost count, and it always ended up with his clothes dripped in sweat.Push-ups, pull-ups, squats, and other training exercises filled his days.He did reps he never imagined were possible, begging for rest only to be shouted at to get back up and continue training.By the end of it, Adrian was sure he could walk into any special forces and get through their selection process easily. The training was that brutal, it was tha

It was well past midnight, and The city still felt as alive as it did during the day.Cars rolled past with their headlights shining through the night. Groups of late-night workers in wrinkled clothes, party-goers in short dresses and half-buttoned collars, and delivery riders on buzzing scooters moved along the road.Even at this hour, many stores stayed open, their front glass glowing with lights and playing soft music.Adrian stood beneath a large tree near the edge of a busy road, the leaves over his head rustling softly.He checked his phone and saw that it was 1:15 am. The message he received was clear and short. “Gear up and wait at this location.”He wore the standard Black Cross field outfit. It consisted of a black blazer with the faint silver outline of the Black Cross over the left chest, matching black trousers and sturdy running shoes.In the backpack hung over one shoulder he carried his silver dagger, the special handgun already loaded with silver rounds, and a couple

The ride back to Black Cross headquarters was far quieter than the ride out.The adrenaline that had carried them through the mission had drained away and had been replaced by the deep exhaustion that always followed a successful mission.The black van moved smoothly through the sleeping city, passing empty intersections where traffic lights changed for no one.Charles had somehow managed to fall asleep while sitting upright, his head bouncing lightly against the window every time the van hit a small bump in the road.Rika sat beside him, scrolling through her phone with one earbud hanging loose from her ear and the other still in place.Dante leaned back with his eyes closed, though whether he was truly asleep or simply resting was impossible to tell.Lirielle occupied the front passenger seat as usual, and she hadn’t spoken a single word since they left the burning building behind.Adrian sat near the rear doors, staring absentmindedly at the silver dagger resting across his lap. D

Adrian’s gloves collided with Charles’s with a sharp thud of fists hitting padded gloves.Adrian and Charles, the coffee guy, stood in the center of the boxing ring, both wearing full protective gear. Headguards covered their faces, while padded gloves and body protectors protected their hands and torsos. Sweat had already soaked through Adrian’s shirt beneath the gearCharles bounced lightly on his feet, never staying in one place for more than a second.Adrian raised his guard, and Charles grinned.“You ready, new guy?”“Come find out.”Charles didn't need to be told twice as he stepped forward and fired a quick jab, but Adrian blocked it.Another jab followed forcing Adrian to slip to the side, but Charles was already throwing a right hook.The glove connected with Adrian's headgear and snapped his head sideways.“Fuck!” he cursed as he shook his head.Charles laughed as he backed away, creating distance.“Too slow!”Adrian steadied himself and charged forward. This time, he threw