Chapter 6
The Rise and Fall
The blade sliced cleanly through Vance Malcolm’s neck—or at least, it seemed to. The world around him dissolved into swirling shadows and distorted screams. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, beads of sweat dripping down his face as the drug-induced nightmare faded. Vance smirked, wiping the sweat from his brow.
“Just a bad trip,” he muttered, his voice rough and guttural. The room spun for a moment before steadying. His fingers twitched as he reached for another dose, the hunger for power overwhelming his senses. But then he stopped. “No,” he hissed. “No more hiding. Time to take back what’s mine.”
Vance rose to his feet, his bloodshot eyes blazing with determination. The city had plunged into chaos in his absence. Gangs had multiplied like rats, carving out territories in what once belonged to him. Murders, robberies, and riots were the new normal, and the government had lost its grip.
But Vance Malcolm wasn’t known for his mercy. He began his bloody ascent back to the top, fueled by a cocktail of raw ambition and the unrelenting power of his drug. One by one, he hunted down rival gangs, executing them in cold blood. The city streets ran red with the bodies of those who dared to oppose him.
The people spoke in hushed whispers, terrified of the man who seemed almost supernatural in his brutality. Stories of Vance tearing through an entire gang with his bare hands spread like wildfire. His men followed him blindly, intoxicated by his fearlessness and the promise of dominion.
But amid the carnage, a shadow lingered—a phantom no one could track. The Shadow Knight had disappeared. Some claimed he was dead; others believed he was biding his time. Vance dismissed the rumors with a scoff, but deep down, the uncertainty gnawed at him.
The Downfall Begins
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Months passed, and Vance’s empire began to stabilize, but at a cost. The drugs that gave him unparalleled strength also ravaged his body. His veins burned, his vision blurred, and his temper became uncontrollable. Late one night, after a particularly heavy dose, Vance bolted upright in bed, his heart racing like a war drum.
“Damn it,” he muttered, shaking his head to clear the haze. He stumbled toward the window, his pistol clenched in one hand. Outside, the city lights flickered ominously, but something wasn’t right. Then he saw them—the unmistakable flash of sirens and the shadows of heavily armed police surrounding his mansion.
“Motherfu—”
A bullet shattered the window inches from his face. Vance dove to the floor, cursing loudly.
“EVERYONE TO YOUR POSITIONS!” he roared, scrambling to his feet. “GET UP, YOU BASTARDS!”
No response. The mansion was eerily silent. He sprinted out of the bedroom, only to find the hallways littered with the corpses of his men. Blood pooled on the marble floors, and the stench of death was suffocating.
“Joseph! Carter! Miguel!” Vance shouted, his voice echoing through the empty halls. Still, no reply. His panic turned to fury as he descended the grand staircase, his gun at the ready.
In the foyer, surrounded by a scene of carnage, stood Joseph Marathan. Blood dripped from his hands and clothes, his face cold and unyielding.
“Joseph!” Vance exclaimed, relief washing over him. “Thank God you’re alive! I thought—”
Joseph raised his gun and shot Vance in the shoulder without hesitation. The impact sent Vance crashing to the ground, his pistol skidding across the floor. He clutched his wound, staring at Joseph in disbelief.
“You... betrayed me?” Vance rasped, his voice a mix of pain and rage.
Joseph stepped closer, his expression unreadable. “It’s nothing personal, Vance. Just business.”
Past
The memories hit Vance like a freight train. Five months ago, Joseph had stood face-to-face with the Shadow Knight. The two men exchanged a tense stare before shaking hands—a silent pact sealed in the darkness.
Present
“You son of a—”
Joseph kicked Vance onto his back, his boot pressing against the wound. Vance screamed in agony, his vision fading in and out.
“Your reign ends here,” Joseph said coldly, raising his weapon for the final shot. But before he could pull the trigger, the mansion’s doors burst open. A squad of heavily armed officers stormed in, their shouts filling the air.
Joseph stepped back, vanishing into the shadows like smoke. Vance tried to crawl toward his pistol, but his strength was gone. The police surrounded him, their rifles trained on his trembling form.
“This is Vance Malcolm,” one officer barked into a radio. “We’ve got him.”
As they dragged Vance to his feet, his vision darkened, and the last thing he saw was the faint silhouette of Joseph watching from the shadows.
The End of an Era
The city celebrated the fall of Vance Malcolm, but the streets remained restless. The Shadow Knight was still at large, and Joseph Marathan had disappeared without a trace. The chaos Vance had sown was far from over.
And in the silence of his prison cell, Vance Malcolm vowed one thing: If he ever got out, the city would burn.
~BlackBlueKnight