Theo and Oliver stared, shock evident on their faces, as Wyatt and Kieran approached, carrying Javier’s limp form between them. Before Theo could process it, Matilda rushed over, wrapping him in a fierce hug. She pulled back just as quickly, eyes darting over him as she fussed like a mother hen.

“Oh, Theo! Are you hurt? Did you get injured anywhere? Any cuts? Bruises?” She ran her hands over his arms and shoulders, her voice high-pitched with concern.

Theo managed a sheepish grin, gently taking her hands to still them. “Matilda, I’m fine, really,” he said, his tone warm but a little embarrassed. “If anything, I think you’re about to bruise my ribs with that hug.”

Matilda gave him a look of mock annoyance but finally released him, her face softening in relief. Theo took a breath, his gaze shifting to the unconscious Javier as his expression turned serious.

“Is Javier okay?” he asked, worry creeping into his voice. “I thought the supervisor got him. We… we thought he’d been killed.”

Matilda’s expression grew somber as she looked over at Javier’s battered form.

<<<

In a graveyard of stone and debris, water trickled from cracked, rusted pipes, pooling around the broken blocks scattered across the ground. The flickering light artifact cast an eerie glow over the rubble.

Rustle Rustle

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from beneath a large stone block. With a harsh groan, the stone block shoved aside, tumbling away to reveal Matilda, who pushed herself up from the wreckage.

“Phuaa!” she gasped, brushing the dust from her face. “Can you believe it? We actually got caught in the Lullaby too!” She took deep breaths, clearly irritated but relieved to be free.

In another corner of the rubble, another pile shifted, and Wyatt’s head appeared, his face pale with fear. He crawled out from an opening, shivering as he looked around at the debris. “I thought we were goners,” he muttered, his voice shaky. “All that rubble... I seriously thought we were going to be buried alive in here.”

Matilda gave a sympathetic laugh as she dusted off her clothes. “Looks like you’re still with us, Wyatt,” she teased. “Besides, it’ll take more than a little cave-in to take you down.”

Wyatt let out a weak chuckle, still looking around warily. “I don’t know, Matilda... that was way too close for comfort.”

Off to the side, Kieran emerged from a mound of dust-covered stones, his clothes now coated in grime. Matilda glanced over, giving him a quick once-over. “You good, Kieran?”

Kieran nodded, saying nothing, his usual quiet demeanor intact.

“Any injuries?” Matilda asked, brushing a bit of rubble from his shoulder.

Kieran simply shook his head, acknowledging her questions with silent nods.

Before they could say anything more, Wyatt suddenly pointed upward, his eyes narrowing as he stared through a distant crack where light was filtering in. “Uh… is that someone falling?”

Matilda and Kieran squinted, trying to get a better look at the figure plummeting toward them from the sky. As the figure grew clearer, Matilda’s eyes widened in shock.

“Doesn’t that look like... Javier?” she asked, a note of alarm in her voice.

Wyatt nodded emphatically, his face lighting up with a mix of recognition and disbelief. “Yeah, that’s him, alright! Looks like he’s coming in for a crash landing.”

Matilda’s expression turned serious as she barked, “Kieran!”

Kieran nodded, raising his arms as dozens of thin, black ribbons extended from his clothes, shooting up toward the falling figure. The ribbons reached Javier in seconds, quickly wrapping around his body, slowing his descent until he floated gently down toward the ground. They finally laid him on the floor, his unconscious form cradled by Kieran’s ribbons.

Matilda and Wyatt hurried over, concern written on their faces as they examined Javier’s battered body.

<>

“And that’s the gist of it,” Matilda said, finishing her recount of the incident to Theo and Oliver. She sighed, her face showing the worry she’d felt in that moment. “When we found him, he was in rough shape—unconscious, broken bones, you name it. And none of us had healing relics since you know how expensive they are. We didn’t have much to help him with, but thank goodness he wasn’t in immediate danger; I don’t know what we would have done if he had been.”

Her eyes softened, looking at Theo with relief. “I honestly prepared myself for the worst when I first saw him. And I tried to call you so many times through the chatterbeast! You wouldn’t pick up—I was worried sick!”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Theo chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry, Matilda. We had our own hands full with... well, let’s just say a situation.” He glanced over at Wyatt and broke into a grin. “But hey, your Lullaby saved us big time back there!”

Wyatt’s face lit up at the compliment, though he fidgeted nervously. “Oh, uh, really? Glad I could help…”

He paused, curiosity sparking in his eyes. “But what happened, exactly? What made you use the Lullaby so early?”

Theo exchanged an awkward look with Seren, who merely shrugged, looking as unbothered as ever. Taking a deep breath, Theo began recounting the events that had led them all to this point.

…

"If it hadn’t been for Seren," Theo said, his tone laced with admiration, "Javier and I would’ve probably been captured by the Collective."

Matilda and Wyatt turned to Seren with awe in their eyes, while Kieran, though expressionless as ever, looked upon Seren with intrigue. Seren waved a hand dismissively, staying humble. "I just got lucky that the supervisor wasn’t as strong as he looked”.

Then he turned and clapped Oliver on the back, grinning. "If you want to be impressed, look no further than Oliver here. He and Zane managed to corner Dorian—someone rumored to be strong enough to take on an average Rank 2 Superior."

Oliver, caught off guard, looked away, scratching his head with a faint blush creeping up his cheeks. “I-It wasn’t… it wasn’t just me, you know,” he stammered, his face betraying a mixture of embarrassment and pride as Matilda and Wyatt fawned over him.

“Oh, come on, don’t be modest, Oliver!” Matilda teased, nudging him. “You really did that? Against Dorian?”

Oliver grumbled something incoherent, though his eyes sparkled with pride despite his attempt to downplay it. “Well... I suppose I did alright,” he muttered, though a small smile escaped as he tried—and failed—to keep up his reluctant front.

While this was happening, suddenly Seren’s attention was drawn to a voice behind him. He turned to see Aria standing nearby, a satisfied smile on her face as she watched him. Behind her, the Enforcers had begun to retreat, Dorian in tow, while Mia shot a bitter look their way.

“How’d it go?” Seren asked casually.

Aria laughed heartily, a wicked gleam in her eyes. “Oh, I got everything I wanted and extorted the hell out of them. Those Enforcers never saw it coming.” She continued to laugh, clearly delighted, but Seren seemed thoughtful, his eyes distant for a moment.

“Were the Enforcers anxious?” Seren asked, tilting his head. “Or... desperate, maybe?”

Aria stopped mid-laugh, her smile fading as she gave him a confused look. “What kind of weird question is that?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Just curious,” Seren replied with a shrug.

Aria paused, thinking back. “Now that you mention it... they were meek. Not their usual selves. Typically, they’d rather bite their own hand than let the Ravens walk away with any advantage.”

Her eyes narrowed as she studied him, intrigue clear on her face. “Why’d you want to know?”

Seren considered her question, then gave a dismissive smile. “It’s nothing.” He seemed lost in thought for another moment, then looked back at her with his usual calm.

Aria shook her head, though amusement flickered in her eyes. “Fine. But remember,” she added, “if you ever change your mind about joining the Punishers, you come to me. And don’t hesitate to ask if you need any favors.”

Seren inclined his head respectfully. “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind,” he replied before turning to walk away.

As he left, another figure approached Aria, clad in the brown uniform of the Punishers. His wavy black hair caught the dim light as he stopped, bowing slightly. “Miss Aria,” he reported, “we’ve cleared out all the Collective guards and sent men to seize their businesses across Glowhaven.”

Aria nodded approvingly. “Good. By the end of today, the Collective will be no more” she replied, her voice firm. “If we’re short on men, check with the security department. They’ll provide support if needed.”

“Yes, Miss Aria,” Riggs responded, but he remained standing, hesitation crossing his face. After a moment, he cleared his throat. “Miss Aria… may I ask something?”

Aria looked at him expectantly. “Go on.”

Riggs hesitated, glancing in the direction Seren had gone. “Why do you favor that boy, Seren, so much? You even gave him a Rank 1 healing relic and personally invited him to join the Punishers.”

Hearing this, Aria let out a sigh, her eyes rolling slightly. “Riggs, I thought you’d know by now. I don’t waste time on anyone without potential. That boy’s a cut above the rest, whether you see it or not.”

Riggs pressed on, his voice tinged with disdain. "But the supervisor's death had nothing to do with Seren. He simply couldn't handle the pressure – a weak man who couldn't make a simple decision to save his superior and ended up taking his own life."

Aria's eyes narrowed slightly. "Let me rephrase the question, Riggs. Who put the supervisor in that precarious position to begin with?"

Riggs shifted uncomfortably before muttering, “Seren…” But he quickly added, “B-but even if Seren did that intentionally, there’s no way he could’ve known the supervisor would die from a heart attack.

"Precisely," Aria nodded. "Unless Seren is secretly a Rank 4 Lexarch, he couldn't have predicted that outcome. But, the main point is that Seren broke the stalemate between the Enforcers and us. And as much as I hate to admit it, if he hadn't intervened, either we or the Enforcers would have broken the stalemate first. I have no desire to escalate this skirmish into a full-blown conflict with the Enforcers."

She continued, her voice taking on a note of admiration. "Moreover, Seren showed remarkable judgment. He knew when to back down by handing over Dorian while securing benefits for himself. What kind of leader would I be if I didn't try to recruit such talent? A Lesser Rank 1 Lexarch capable of condensing a 5-meter laser using the Luminar Crystal, all while having exceptional intelligence – that's not an opportunity to be overlooked."

Riggs opened his mouth, but words failed him. He tried again, sputtering, “I... I... I—” but finally bit his tongue, bowing his head low in apology. “I’m sorry, Miss Aria. I overstepped.”

Aria chuckled softly, patting him on the shoulder. “Good. Keep watching and maybe you’ll learn something useful,” she said, her tone both firm and slightly teasing. “And don’t worry, I’m still counting on you to keep the Punishers sharp.”

Riggs straightened, murmuring his thanks, and Aria gave a final nod. “Now, get to work.”

She turned to walk away, her footsteps echoing as Riggs stayed rooted in place. But then suddenly, his eyes darkened as he watched her disappear into the shadows.

‘...Seren’

A glint of something dangerous flickered in his gaze as he thought of the boy who had so easily earned her approval.