In the sterile corridors of the Research Facility, Olive was lost in his usual morning routine, meticulously reviewing data on the various ongoing projects. The hum of machines and the soft glow of holographic screens created an almost serene atmosphere—a calm before the storm. That illusion of tranquility was abruptly shattered when Cora’s voice cut through the air, laced with urgency and panic.

“Manager, look!” she shouted, her tone trembling slightly. “Jean is being attacked by the elite guards!”

Olive’s heart skipped a beat, a cold dread creeping into his chest. “What?” he breathed; his voice barely audible as he rushed to Cora’s side. She was hunched over the controls, her fingers moving frantically as she zoomed in on the live feed.

His eyes locked onto the screen, and his blood ran cold. Jean was fighting for his life, barely holding his own against the guards. The sight of the young man’s fierce determination struck Olive like a bolt of lightning, triggering a realization that sent a shiver down his spine. “So, Jean really is Ethan’s son,” he muttered, his mind whirling with the implications.

Cora nodded; her eyes glued to the screen. “And if they’re targeting him like this... Ethan must have uncovered something—something dangerous. They’re trying to silence Jean before he can expose it.”

Olive’s brow furrowed deeply, his thoughts racing. “Damian was telling the truth all along...”

“Seems so,” Cora replied, her voice heavy with unease. “But what did Ethan discover that’s worth killing for?”

“No idea...” Olive admitted, frustration and fear mixing in his tone.

They watched in tense silence as Jean and Mira fought back with impressive skill. Jean’s movements were precise, each strike delivered with deadly intent. Mira, too, was a force to be reckoned with—her agility and speed making her a dangerous opponent.

“Jean is stronger than I expected,” Cora whispered, a note of admiration in her voice.

“That girl isn’t to be underestimated either,” Olive added, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the battle.

Just when it seemed Jean and Mira might emerge victorious, a shadowy figure slipped out from the darkness, moving with an unsettling, unnatural speed. Before Olive and Cora could even process what was happening, the figure conjured a portal. In the blink of an eye, Jean and Mira were gone.

Cora gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “What the heck...who is this?”

Olive’s heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the screen in disbelief. “No idea...but whoever he is, he’s far more dangerous than we thought.”

A steely resolve settled over Olive as he straightened up, his expression hardening. “Cora, we need to save them. And we need to uncover the truth behind all of this—before it’s too late.”

Cora wasted no time, her fingers flying over the holographic controls as she scanned the city for any trace of the portal’s destination. The tension in the air was thick, every second feeling like an eternity. Finally, she found it. “Manager, the portal leads to the HQ’s experiment zone.”

Olive’s eyes narrowed with determination. “Of course...but getting in won’t be easy.”

Cora’s gaze met his, her expression fierce. “I have an idea. We can disguise ourselves as guards.”

A smirk tugged at the corner of Olive’s lips. “I like the way you think.”

With a snap of their fingers, their appearances shifted, their uniforms morphing into those of the guards. The helmets they wore obscured their faces, making them indistinguishable from the real thing.

“Well, looks good to go,” Olive said, inspecting their disguises with satisfaction.

He opened a portal, and they stepped through, emerging near the HQ’s experiment zone. The facility loomed before them, its sterile hallways and secure doors a stark reminder of the danger they were about to face.

“Cora, we need to be careful,” Olive warned, his voice low. “One wrong move, and we’re done for.”

“Roger that,” Cora replied, her voice steady, though the tension was palpable.

They seamlessly merged with a group of guards preparing to descend to the basement for a routine check. As they moved, Cora leaned in close, whispering urgently, “They’re in the basement. We need to stick with them until we can break off unnoticed.”

Olive gave a slight nod, his mind focused on the task ahead. Without hesitation, they joined the guards, their movements calculated and precise. As they descended, Olive and Cora slipped away from the group with practiced ease, their stealthy exit unnoticed in the bustle of the facility.

“I’ve scanned the area. They’re in room 288,” Cora whispered, leading Olive down a narrow, dimly lit corridor. The air was thick with tension, every shadow seeming to hide unseen dangers.

They reached the door, but it was securely locked. Cora’s eyes darted around, a flicker of panic in her gaze. “Someone’s coming. We need to hurry.”

Olive cursed under his breath, his mind racing. “If they find us here, we’re done.”

Thinking quickly, Olive grabbed Cora’s hand. With a sudden flash of yellow light, they vanished, reappearing inside the room just as the sound of footsteps echoed ominously outside the door.

The room was dimly lit, casting long shadows over the rows of advanced machines humming softly, their screens flickering with data. The air was thick with the scent of antiseptic and the low hum of machinery, a stark contrast to the urgency Olive and Cora felt.

"We finally managed to get in," Cora whispered, her voice tense as she surveyed the room.

Olive nodded, his eyes scanning the space with sharp precision. "Yeah," he muttered, his gaze quickly locking onto the figures in the corner of the room. Jean and Mira lay crumpled on the cold, metallic floor, their bodies still and bloodied.

“There,” Olive said, pointing toward them. “We’ve found them. Let’s go.”

Cora nodded, her heart pounding as they moved swiftly across the room. As they approached, the extent of the injuries became horrifyingly clear. Both Jean and Mira were unconscious, their clothes soaked with blood.

“Jean, hey Jean, can you hear me?” Olive knelt beside Jean; his voice urgent but steady. He gently shook Jean’s shoulder, trying to rouse him, but there was no response.

Cora’s voice trembled as she assessed the situation. “There’s so much blood... They’re hurt badly.”

Olive’s jaw clenched as he fought to maintain his composure. “What do we do?” Cora asked, her voice edged with panic.

“They’re in no condition to walk... I have an idea,” Olive said, his mind racing. “We’ll take them to Elysis. It’s far enough that they won’t be found for a while.”

Cora nodded, her mind already working out the details. “But we have to move fast... There’s a routine checkup scheduled for this room soon.”

Without another word, Olive summoned a portal with a swift motion of his hand. The swirling vortex of light appeared before them, casting an eerie glow over the room. He quickly scooped Jean into his arms, while Cora carefully lifted Mira, cradling her as if she were made of glass. Together, they stepped through the portal and emerged in a dimly lit room.

Cora looked around, disoriented. “Where are we?”

“This is my old home,” Olive replied, his voice tinged with nostalgia.

Cora blinked in surprise. “I didn’t know you had a home in Elysis.”

“I used to live here with my family... but after they passed away, this is the first time I’ve returned.” Olive’s voice was soft, almost reverent as he looked around the room that had once been filled with life.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Cora’s eyes softened as she glanced at him, but the urgency of their situation quickly brought her back to the present. “But what should we do about them?” she asked, her gaze shifting to Jean and Mira, who were now lying on the floor.

“Jean will regenerate his wounds within seconds once he wakes up. It’s not a big deal for him,” Olive explained, his tone calm yet confident. “But I’m not sure about her... Can you heal her? You know healing magic, right?”

“Yeah, I can,” Cora said, though she couldn’t hide her curiosity. “But how can a human regenerate such deep wounds so quickly?”

Olive glanced at Jean’s unconscious form, a hint of a smile on his lips. “You’ll see for yourself. He’s not just human... He’s a human-spirit hybrid.”

Cora’s eyes widened in realization. “A hybrid? I’ve heard of them... They’re stronger than normal humans, right?”

“Yeah,” Olive confirmed. “Much stronger.”

Without wasting any more time, Cora summoned a holographic screen, her fingers gliding over the controls as she scanned Mira’s body. The screen displayed a detailed analysis of her injuries, the wounds glowing faintly in response.

Cora focused intently, selecting the option labeled "Regenerate Body Parts." As she activated the healing process, Mira’s wounds began to glow with a soft, ethereal light. Slowly, the torn flesh and broken bones knitted back together, the blood drying up as if it had never been there.

Olive watched in silence, his thoughts racing as he wondered what secrets these two carried—and what danger still lay ahead.

After some time, Jean slowly regained consciousness. Everything around him was a blur, his mind foggy with the memories of the fierce battle. He recalled fighting elite guards, a shadowy figure attacking, and then... darkness. His heart raced as he realized they were now trapped in a dark room.

Suddenly, he jolted upright, blinking rapidly to clear his vision. As the haze lifted, he saw Cora standing nearby and noticed Mira lying on a bed beside him, her face pale but peaceful.

"Cora... where am I? What happened?" Jean's voice was hoarse, a mixture of confusion and concern. "And what are you doing here?"

Cora glanced at him, her expression softening. "It’s a long story, Jean... but first, you need to heal your wounds."

Jean looked down at himself, finally noticing the extent of his injuries. His body was covered in cuts and bruises, blood still seeping from several wounds. With a grimace, he accessed his stats screen:

[Level: 256 | Magic Points: 3,458/100,000 | HP: 37/100]

"It looks like I lost badly... but at least I leveled up," he muttered to himself, trying to find a silver lining.

Cora’s voice cut through his thoughts; firm yet gentle. "Heal yourself, Jean. You’re no good to anyone like this."

He nodded and clicked on the HP icon, bringing up a detailed stat of his body. The screen displayed that 48% of his body was severely wounded. Without hesitation, he selected the full-body recovery option. Instantly, his bleeding stopped, and his skin and flesh began to regenerate at an astonishing rate.

Cora watched in awe; her eyes wide with disbelief. "How... how did you do that? None of us have that kind of skill, not even the healers."

Jean gave her a faint smile, still focusing on his recovery. "It’s a unique skill... something only a few people possess."

"I see..." Cora replied, still processing what she had just witnessed.

Suddenly, Mira stirred, her eyes fluttering open in panic. "Where... where am I?"

"Calm down, Mira," Cora said soothingly. "You’re safe now."

Mira’s eyes darted around the room until they landed on Jean. "What about Jean? He was hurt so badly..."

Cora gestured beside her. "Look, he’s right there. He’s fine now."

Mira’s gaze softened as she saw Jean, fully healed and smiling at her. "You look... okay," she said, relief washing over her.

Jean nodded; his voice gentle. "And so do you."

At that moment, Olive entered the room, his expression serious. "It looks like you’re both awake."

Jean looked up, surprised. "Manager? You saved us?"

"Yes, Cora and I got you out of there. But there’s something important we need to discuss."

Jean’s expression grew serious. "Please, go ahead."

Olive took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully. "Jean... what do you know about your father?"

Jean hesitated, his brows furrowing. "My father... He didn’t live with us. He stayed in Virexia. I asked my mom about him, and she always said he was a researcher, that’s why he had to work there. But one day, she told me he was killed because of some experiments. After that, she took me back to her home in the Spirit region, and we never returned. I was too young to remember much about him... The rest is a mystery to me."

Olive exchanged a glance with Cora before speaking again. "Your father’s name... it’s Ethan Valen, right?"

Jean shook his head, confused. "No... It’s Ethan Ashford."

Cora sighed; her tone tinged with sympathy. "It seems you don’t even know the full truth about your father. He was a great mystery."

Olive nodded in agreement. "His real name was Ethan Valen, and he was involved in uncovering the identities of certain governors and their plans for the next 15 years."

Jean’s eyes widened in shock. "I... I didn’t even know his real name? And what do you mean by ‘their plans’?"

Before Olive could respond, he asked another question. "Do you know a man named ‘Damian Lysander’?"

Jean shook his head again. "No, I don’t..."

But before he could say more, Mira gasped, her eyes widening in recognition. "Damian Lysander... that’s my father’s name!"

Olive nodded solemnly. "Yes, he told us about you."

Mira’s voice trembled as she asked, "Where is he? Can I see him?"

Olive’s expression darkened. "No... not right now. He’s been imprisoned for performing dangerous experiments. But... he claims it’s just a cover. Honestly, we’re as confused as you are."

“Don’t cry, Mira,” Jean said softly, wiping away one of her tears with his thumb. “You’ll see him soon, I promise.”

But Mira’s eyes remained glassy, her worry evident.

Olive’s expression grew somber as he spoke. “It seems we’ll need Damian’s help to uncover the truth.”

Cora frowned; her voice heavy with concern. “But freeing him won’t be easy. He’s labeled as an experimental subject and accused of high crimes—betrayal against the planet itself.”

Olive nodded grimly. “Only Shin has the authority to release him, but knowing Shin, he’d sooner see Damian dead than let him go.”

“Exactly,” Cora agreed. “If we don’t find a way to free him, all those secrets will die with him. And without his knowledge, we’ll never unravel the mysteries that even Jean doesn’t know.”

Jean’s gaze hardened with determination. “Where is he being held?”

Olive hesitated before answering. “He’s in a high-security prison, where all experimental subjects are kept.”

Jean clenched his fists. “Then we need to figure out how to get him out—no matter the cost.”

Back at HQ, the routine check ordered by Alice was underway in the room where Jean and Mira had been kept. When the guards entered, they quickly realized something was wrong. The room was empty.

The lead inspector rushed to Alice’s office, his face pale. “Ma’am, we’ve completed the inspection. The boy and girl... they’re gone.”

Alice’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What the f#ck...? How is that even possible?”

“I don’t know, ma’am. There’s no sign of forced entry.”

Before Alice could respond, Shin stormed into the room, alarmed by the commotion. “What’s going on?”

“Jean and the girl... they’re not there,” Alice said, her voice laced with frustration.

Shin’s expression darkened. “Impossible. Let’s see for ourselves.”

They hurried to the room, the lead inspector trailing behind. Shin inspected the door, his mind racing.

“Was this door forced open?” Shin asked.

“No, sir. There’s no sign of tampering,” the lead guard replied, his voice shaking.

Shin’s brow furrowed. “Then how did they get out? And more importantly, who helped them?”

Alice’s eyes narrowed as she pieced it together. “This isn’t just about how they escaped. Whoever helped Jean must know about Ethan... and Damian too. Damian holds the key to everything Ethan uncovered. If they reach him, it’s over. We need to move fast.”

Shin’s voice was cold, resolute. “You’re right. We can’t afford to wait. Execute Damian now, before he has a chance to talk.”

Alice didn’t hesitate. She immediately contacted the head guard of the research facility where Damian was imprisoned. “Terminate Damian Lysander. Now. That’s an order.”

The guards at the facility received the command and wasted no time. They approached Damian’s cell; weapons drawn. “You’re to be executed. Any last words?”

Damian looked at them, a strange calm in his eyes. Then, he laughed—a deep, unsettling sound that echoed in the cold cell. “Go on, then,” he said, his voice laced with defiance. “Let’s see how this ends.”

The guards exchanged uneasy glances, unnerved by Damian’s laughter. But orders were orders. They raised their weapons, the cold metal glinting under the harsh fluorescent lights of the cell.

“Do it,” the lead guard commanded, his voice steady despite the tension in the room.

Without hesitation, the guards opened fire. The sound of gunshots echoed through the chamber; each shot aimed with precision. Damian’s body jerked with each impact, blood splattering against the walls as the bullets tore through him.

He collapsed to the ground, a pool of blood quickly forming beneath him. His laughter faded into a choked gurgle, but even as life drained from his eyes, a twisted smile remained on his lips. It was as if he knew something they didn’t—as if he had already accepted his fate, yet took comfort in knowing his death might not be the end.

The guards lowered their weapons, the silence that followed the gunfire oppressive. The lead guard stepped forward to check for a pulse, but it was clear Damian was gone. He pressed a hand to his comms unit. “It’s done. Damian Lysander is dead.”

But even as the guards exited the cell, an unsettling stillness hung in the air. The echoes of their gunfire had long since faded, yet the oppressive weight of uncertainty remained. Damian’s death should have brought a sense of finality, but instead, it left a lingering unease. What secrets had he taken to the grave? What truths had he buried deep within his twisted smile?

The head guard, his heart still pounding from the execution, activated his comms device. “Ma’am, the target has been neutralized. Damian Lysander is dead.”

There was a brief silence on the other end, a pause that seemed to stretch endlessly before Alice’s voice crackled through, cold and composed. “Good work. Return to your post.”

As the guard ended the call, he felt a familiar sense of detachment. It was just another order fulfilled; another task completed in the line of duty. Yet, even in his routine execution of orders, something about Damian’s final, defiant smile left a lingering discomfort. He brushed it off, not knowing that while he saw only the end of a mission, those above him understood that Damian’s death was merely one move in a far larger, more dangerous game.

Back in her office, Alice leaned back in her chair, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk. A slow, satisfied smile spread across her lips. Damian was finally gone—a loose end tied up; a potential threat eliminated. Yet beneath her calm exterior, there was a flicker of anticipation. She knew better than to assume this was the end. If anything, Damian’s death might just be the beginning of something far more complex, and she was ready to face whatever came next.

"Let’s see how this unfolds," Alice murmured to herself, her smile widening. She glanced out of her window, her mind already calculating the next steps, ready to stay one step ahead of whatever—or whoever—would try to challenge her now.