2025-03-25 05:48:51Queens Safehouse – 10:45 A.M.
Ethan stood by the window, staring at the burned-out skyline in the distance. His hands were clenched into fists.
Sebastian Vance.
The name alone left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Evelyn sat on the couch, arms crossed. “You sure about this?”
“No,” Ethan admitted. “But we don’t have a choice.”
Sebastian was more than just an insider—he was a former Dominion strategist, someone who had walked away but never really left. If anyone knew what Solstice truly meant, it was him.
Leo, still looking rattled from the chase, sighed. “If we’re doing this, I’ll set up a secure line.”
“No.” Ethan turned, grabbing his coat. “I’ll talk to him in person.”
Evelyn’s brow furrowed. “Where?”
Ethan exhaled sharply.
“Monte Carlo.”
Monte Carlo, Monaco – The Mirage Casino – 11:58 P.M.
The Mirage was Sebastian Vance’s empire—a high-stakes casino, built on secrets, power, and money.
Ethan walked in through the main entrance, past crystal chandeliers and high rollers in tuxedos. Every step felt heavier.
Memories hit him like a sucker punch.
He and Sebastian had once fought side by side, saving each other’s lives more times than he could count.
But now?
They were just two men on opposite sides of the same war.
A hostess approached. “Mr. Vance is expecting you.”
Of course he was.
The Private Suite – 12:07 A.M.
Sebastian Vance lounged in a plush leather chair, whiskey in hand.
He hadn’t changed much—dark hair slicked back, sharp blue eyes, a jawline cut from glass. But there was something colder about him now.
“You look good, Cross,” Sebastian said, swirling his drink. “Considering you’re a dead man walking.”
Ethan sat across from him. “Cut the crap. You know why I’m here.”
Sebastian smirked. “Solstice.”
Ethan leaned forward. “Tell me what you know.”
Sebastian chuckled. “You come into my casino, sit in my chair, and demand answers?”
Ethan’s jaw clenched. “People are going to die, Vance. Millions.”
Sebastian exhaled, then set down his glass. “And what makes you think I care?”
Ethan stared at him. “Because once upon a time, you did.”
Silence.
Sebastian tapped a finger against the table, considering.
Then—he slid a USB drive across to Ethan.
“This has everything I know.”
Ethan narrowed his eyes. “Just like that?”
Sebastian’s smirk returned. “Not quite.”
He leaned in. “I want something in return.”
Ethan’s stomach twisted. He knew this wouldn’t be free.
Sebastian’s voice dropped lower.
“I want you to kill Adrian Locke.”
Ethan’s pulse spiked. “You want me to take out The Dominion’s top enforcer?”
Sebastian’s smirk faded.
“No, Cross. I want you to burn The Dominion to the ground.”
Ethan exhaled.
A devil’s bargain.
And he had no choice but to take it.
The Mirage Casino – Monte Carlo – 12:15 A.M.The air in the private suite thickened with tension. Ethan’s fingers hovered over the USB drive. He knew what it meant—the weight of Sebastian’s demand.
Burn The Dominion.
Not just take down Adrian Locke. Destroy the entire network.
Ethan’s voice was tight. “This isn’t just about Locke, is it?”
Sebastian smirked, but there was no amusement in his eyes. “No.” He leaned back, rolling his glass between his fingers. “This is about revenge.”
Ethan stayed silent. He knew better than to push.
Sebastian had always been controlled, calculating. But something had shifted in him. His vendetta against The Dominion was personal.
Finally, Ethan spoke. “I need more than names.”
Sebastian exhaled, then slid a second USB drive across the table.
“This has operational blueprints, financial records, safehouse locations. Everything.”
Ethan picked it up, feeling the weight of his next move settle in his chest.
Sebastian stood. “Now that I’ve given you the keys to the kingdom, tell me—do we have a deal?”
Ethan’s jaw clenched. He didn’t trust Sebastian, but he needed him.
Finally, he extended a hand.
Sebastian took it, his grip firm.
A blood oath was made.
Monte Carlo Streets – 1:30 A.M.
Ethan walked out of The Mirage, stepping into the cool Monaco night air. He pulled out his phone.
Evelyn picked up on the first ring.
“You’re alive. I’m shocked.”
Ethan ignored the jab. “We have a problem.”
Evelyn sighed. “Of course we do. What now?”
He stared at the USB drive in his hand.
“Sebastian gave me everything. But there’s a catch.”
Evelyn groaned. “There’s always a catch.”
“He wants Adrian Locke dead.”
Silence.
Then, “That’s suicide, Ethan.”
Ethan’s grip tightened around the USB. “Then we better make sure we do it right.”
The Hitlist – 2:00 A.M.
Back in his hotel room, Ethan plugged in the USB. The screen lit up with classified intelligence.
The Dominion was bigger than he thought.
• International arms deals
• Cyberwarfare units
• Political assassinations
• Bribery reaching the highest levels
And at the center of it all? Adrian Locke.
Ethan’s stomach twisted as he scanned the files. Locke wasn’t just an enforcer—he was the architect of Solstice.
Killing him wasn’t an option anymore.
It was a necessity.
Then—
A new notification appeared on the screen.
UNKNOWN CALLER.
Ethan’s gut screamed trap—but he answered anyway.
A familiar voice crackled through the line.
“Ethan Cross,” Adrian Locke drawled. “I hear you’ve been making deals with ghosts.”
Ethan’s pulse spiked. “Locke.”
Adrian chuckled. “I warned you, Cross. You should’ve stayed dead.”
Ethan’s eyes darkened. “And you should’ve shot me when you had the chance.”
A low hum. Then—
“See you soon.”
The line went dead.
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
APPRECIATION PAGE
To everyone who has walked through the shadows with me,As the final page of The Silent Dominion turns and the echoes of its final chapter begin to settle, I find myself overwhelmed—not by the silence, but by the voices of all of you who have stayed through the darkness, the chaos, and the light. This is more than an appreciation; it’s a heartfelt expression of gratitude, respect, and shared triumph.Writing The Silent Dominion was never just about spinning a story. It was about building a world where truth was buried in encrypted code, where betrayal slithered in silence, and where each character—flawed, brave, broken, or brilliant—carried a piece of humanity. But no matter how vast the conspiracy, how intricate the mystery, or how heavy the losses, one truth remained constant: you were there.You read through the sleepless nights. You highlighted quotes that mattered. You posted reactions that m
Epilogue – The Dawn of Memory
Sunlight filtered through the canopy of revived crystal saplings in Ash Tree Court. Their bioluminescent roots glowed softly beneath marble tiles etched with reminisced glyphs—promises made, futures rewritten, stories safeguarded.Ethan Cross stood beneath the largest of the saplings, now a towering trunk of translucent crystal. Its branches shimmered with memory-leaves—each leaf containing voices, letters, laughter from long-vanished worlds. A breeze rustled them gently, voices whispering greetings, stories, fragments of truths.He was no longer the soldier. Not the architect of war, nor the heir of Dominion. He had passed through the Core, carried his own fire into the Nexus. The Dominion’s final death had been his choice. Now, more than ever, he felt the weight of silence lifting from him.Reyna approached, carrying two steaming cups of herbal tea grown from newly cultivated biolux gardens.“You’ve been here a while,&rdquo
Chapter 332: The Citadel Fracture
The Citadel’s spires groaned under pressure unseen, fractures spiderwebbing across their marble surfaces like veins of lightning trapped in stone. Ethan stood on the central platform of the Dominion Nexus, the static in the air coalescing around him. His palm hovered over the shattered Codex shard embedded in the console—its pulse erratic, as if its very consciousness were unraveling.Ayra’s voice crackled over the comm. “The southeast strut just collapsed. Kaito’s rerouting power, but we’ve lost containment in Archive Wing Theta.”Ethan gritted his teeth. “How long before the core fails?”“Minutes. Maybe less,” Ayra said.The Nexus shuddered. Panels sparked and dimmed. Ethan turned toward Vega, who was manually stabilizing the protocol node conduits with trembling hands. Her jaw clenched, drenched in sweat, but her resolve held. They were so close to stopping the Fall.
Chapter 331: The Vault of Beginnings
The descent was unlike any journey they’d taken.Ethan led the way through the broken foundation of the Citadel, the earth beneath their boots humming faintly with Codex residue. There were no doors, no clear path—only a soft pulsing in the air, like a heartbeat deep underground. A call, not of sound but of presence.“The Origin Vault is beneath everything,” Ayla whispered, running her fingers along the cracked obsidian wall. “Older than the Dominion. Older than even the Archivists. If it’s real.”“It is real,” Ethan said, his voice low. “I’ve seen pieces of it in the Codex’s dream-sections. Just fragments… warnings.”They reached a long-forgotten corridor choked with vines and dust. Dominion markings lined the walls—centuries old, glowing faintly blue. The silence was oppressive, not from absence, but from something watching.Kaito flicked his scanner on. &l
Chapter 330: The Revenant’s Bargain
The skies above Veilspire cracked with silent lightning—arcs of violet and gold flashing like old gods waking in fury. Atop the shattered tower of the Citadel’s inner keep, Ethan Cross stood with the Chrono-Shard pulsing in his hand. Below, the remnants of the Resistance and the Dominion alike clashed in a final, chaotic tide of fury and desperation.“We don’t have time,” Vega snapped, her gauntlet smoking from overuse. “That crystal’s calling to something. You feel it too, right?”Ethan nodded slowly, his voice low and grim. “It’s not calling. It’s bargaining.”Ayla emerged from the breach in the stone wall, blood trailing from a cut near her eye, her blade stained black with dream-corrupted ichor. “Bargaining with who?”The answer came not from Ethan—but from the sky.A shadow darker than the night spiraled down, coalescing into form. Tendrils of mist retrac
Chapter 329 – Aether’s Reckoning
The hollow silence after the Gatefall faded like a dying echo, leaving a void heavier than any scream.Ethan stood amidst the fractured shell of what remained of the Obsidian Bridge, his boots crunching against the dust of what had once been the last tether to the mirrored Dominion. Behind him, the team staggered back to their feet—Kaito supporting Ayla, blood trickling from a slash across his shoulder, and Vega grimacing as she reloaded with a mechanical efficiency that masked her trembling hands.Across the chasm, where the bridge had collapsed, the Aetherflare roiled like a maelstrom unleashed, no longer constrained by the Veil. Torn reality pulsed with bleeding light. From its chaotic core, a figure emerged.Talon.Or what remained of him.He hovered, his form no longer flesh and blood but something crystalline and scorched—like obsidian carved into a humanoid silhouette. Veins of starlight coursed through him, and the Dominion&rsqu
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