Laurent was silently hoping to reach in time. The only reason he was worrying about it was because of one thing, in the past life, a major headline had made it on nearly every new channel in the world.
On the morning of 22nd January, 2019. He remembered the day so vividly exactly because it was such a huge news. The Hawthorne family changed heads that day. Why? Because Nathan Hawthorne had been found dead in a car accident along with his wife and daughter. His son, who was living in a residential district near the university was said to be the only one remaining of their family, also the only heir to the business.
But life didn’t always go as one expected, by some laws not mentioned in the news and what he suspected to be the help of the government, Jonathan Hawthorne, Lorcan’s uncle and Nathan’s brother, took up the reins of the empire.
But if what Raymond had said was true, it was very likely that the mother and the daughter had instead been killed to make Jonathan’s stealing of the business easy and legal.
He could’ve probably solved the matter himself if Jonathan hadn’t sent too big of a force to kill them, but he doubted it given the security rich carried around. But then why did he call Lorcan?
Simple, because Laurent still didn’t think he could win against Lorcan without using the four energies. If he had to pick one person, who was a natural born fighter and had even properly worked on it, it would be Lorcan. A beast in human skin. It would also make Lorcan owe him a favor if he was present at the scene with proof clearly lying around.
*****
She was scared.
Her breathing was as silent as it could get, a commendable effort at survival. Just hours ago, her mom had begun acting seriously and finally told her to hide in a secret compartment behind a wall. Yes, their kitchen wall had a compartment inside it which could be opened with a key which her mom kept after putting her inside. It had emergency supplies which could last her a month if used sparingly and a tiny bathroom.
Watching the small screen which was at an extremely low brightness nervously, she just hoped everything would turn fine, just like always. Just like when she got to know happiness was rare at home because of her, just like when she felt helpless at not being able to help the people she loved so much, just like even now when she was simply a burden, she hoped everything would turn out fine.
The compartment had a small screen which was connected to the main security cameras of the house as it would be easier to know the outside condition that way. The security cameras were also connected to the main screen in the surveillance room, that way the guards that worked at their house never doubted the cameras.
She watched the hallway, more exactly at the door to the surveillance room, there wasn’t any camera in that room to avoid suspicion so she could only hope her mother was finding some way for whatever had prompted her to send her here.
Suddenly her breath halted as a few men entered the house, she watched with bated breath as the guards which were supposed to stop them went up and whispered something to them.
‘Were they not afraid her mom was seeing them from the surveillance room? Were they not afraid she would fire them? She couldn’t understand why people did such things which are hard to understand.’
She continued watching as a few more men came in from one of the windows where a few guards again went ahead and began talking with them, it was low enough to not be picked up by the microphone though.
‘Why do they need to use a window to enter our house? Are they what mother told her were robbers? She had read about them in books. They were bad people. But weren't there guards there to stop these people? Are guards bad people too? Then why did they always stand near their house?’
A screen immediately caught her eye as she looked at her mom leaving the room, closing the door behind. She held a gun in her hand, her getup way different from when she entered the room. It was completely black and tightly snug to her body, and immediately after, all the lights went out.
Anxiety crept up on her as her heart beat increased, beads of sweat began dripping down her small face, but she still didn’t move her eyes away from the small dim screen filled with almost black squares now. Her gaze fixed upon the nearly camouflaged black figure which was hitting other moving figures.
‘Why is my mom hitting them? Is talking with outsiders really such a bad thing to do?’
*****
Suddenly, a figure shot a bullet at the black figure which was rapidly killing his men. It was difficult to see and aim in the dark, they hadn’t even been prepared for this. Their contractor had told them that the target would be unprepared and caught off guard, not like this where there were traps all around the house, losing half the men there itself.
*TSRK*
A silenced pistol shot a bullet which accurately hit the thigh of the black figure, putting a halt to its accurate shooting of his men. The black figure had come far more prepared than them. Which was displayed even more effectively when the figure brushed off the bullet like it was nothing and continued the shooting.
It was a disaster. Only for a little while though, he had called for reinforcements of a lot of men.
Their backer was no ordinary man.
*****
She was thankful she had gotten a call from a mysterious number, else today would be the death of both her and her dear daughter. It was a young voice but had the feeling of stability and experience behind it.
Her husband had informed her the day before that there might finally be a hope to cure their daughter of the illness she was born with, but he had also told her that it would be a little dangerous to acquire that. She had wanted to interject but stopped when she looked into his firm eyes, and in a corner of her heart, she wanted her daughter to be able to live like a normal person too.
As a mother, it hurt her heart to see her daughter not having the energy to do anything, it wasn’t any dangerous disease or anything, she was just…always low on energy. Like extremely low, so bed rest was most often the only thing she could do, on bad days even holding up her hand to read the books she loved used to become taxing.
But…looking at how people were sent to kill her and her daughter, something seemed to have gone horribly wrong. The only good thing was she was a bit prepared now, because no one she had called was picking up the calls.
*****
She kept looking at the small screen for a long time, watching her mom fight, rest, and fight again. She didn’t know why but her heart pained to see her mom doing so much. And like always, she could only watch.
*Gasp*
She abruptly gasped as her mom was hit by a blunt object, her eyes teared up as her mom seemed to be surrounded.
‘Why were they even fighting? We didn’t do anything bad.’
Silent sobs echoed in the tiny compartment as a petite figure kept shaking silently, those round glistening eyes refusing to leave the screen. Her breath abruptly halted as her eye tracked a sharp object heading for the head of her mom, the only way she could’ve seen in dark was because the cameras were equipped with a not-so-bad equipment for the same and that sharp object had an ominous luster to it.
*****
*Thump*
A hand intervened, smacking the holder of the knife to oblivion with no mercy. Another figure, this one full of vigor and precise movements had joined in on the fight, helping the black figure in the middle by giving her a breathing space.
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Laurent had reached in time, the black figure whom he assumed to be the mother, Samantha Hawthorne was still holding on, and probably the little sister too. If he wanted Lorcan to owe him, they couldn’t die.
But the problem was that there were a bit too many people, who the fuck sends so many people to silence just two people? Did the one in charge ask for reinforcement after seeing that Samantha was prepared? It was going to be a tough job.
There were people who had guns here and he hadn’t progressed as far as to actually be able to be immune to guns and any sharp object. Dodging quickly, he tilted his head backwards to avoid a hit and kicked the person in the neck, probably killing him.
“Catch”
A feminine voice entered his ears as he snapped his head sidewards to see a pistol incoming which he caught by reflex. With a pistol in one hand and a dagger in another, he began his own round of killing.
As a beast tamer in his previous life, he didn’t fight much himself but he had still unlocked the necessary combat evolutions which granted him the memory of how to do it. It also helped that however low it may be, he had fought in actual wars, in life and death melee battles and much more even when he didn’t have many beasts under him. The experience from that time helped him right now. Although it was a pity his current body couldn’t perform some of the more complicated maneuvers, it was alright to deal with these hired goons.
The sofa, pillars and numerous things helped him dodge and cover as numerous bullets were shot at him, some even grazing his body. He manipulated a bit of mana and concentrated it near his eyes to see more clearly in the dark, Samantha had come prepared, he hadn’t.
But it was soon proved that mana was way better than any tool as everything looked the same as in under naked daylight. His accuracy improved and his fists and kicks hit at critical places, injuring a large number of them.
*Huff* *Huff*
It was difficult, he hadn’t leveled up much and a lot of wounds had been opened up on his body, blood could be seen dripping over the area where he stood, making it hard for him to stay conscious due to blood loss. But he had to hold on, at least till he came.
Abruptly his head jerked sideways as he spotted a figure entering from a nearby window,
‘Talk of the devil and he arrives.’
To make himself known and show that he wasn’t an enemy, Laurent flashed him a smile as he watched Lorcan fully in the living room.
*****
Lorcan scanned around the place and spotted a few people hiding in trees with a sniper rifle. He took out the kitchen knife from his pocket and held it in a way best suitable to hold, it was a method he had learned while fighting on the streets. Not exactly the best method but he had to do what he did.
Born in a rich family didn’t exactly grant him all the privileges the world thought he got. It was a family which excelled in business while it was like he was born with an innate fondness towards fighting. It affected his life in all the ways possible as he had to study what he didn’t like while simultaneously trying to find time for what he did, which of course, wasn’t allowed, also the reason why he began resorting to street fights.
Was it his luck? His talent for fighting? Someone intervening? He didn’t know, but he was at least alive till today and even picked up a lot of experience fighting. His overall physique was way better than anyone his age, a result of his daily workout and good genetics, by physique he also meant his vision, hearing, sense of balance and other things as if he was really born for fighting.
He never told anyone, but he did kill a few people too, couldn’t be helped, the grudge was too deep. It all started after he killed a person for the first time. It was strange, but he never cried after killing, or even went through depression, denial, or crazy, nothing, as if there was a glass around him blocking all the emotions.
He didn’t know if it was a good thing for him, as he did feel strongly for his family, only for his family, no one else. But the thing was, it brought him difficulties while making friends or any relationship. Not like he cared for any, circumstances forced him into maturing early, making everyone else around him feel childish. The gap lessened as he grew up, coming across people who might’ve gone through something similar, but by then he was too used to the solitary lifestyle. He got enough joy by being by his family’s side and talking to them, his only ray of sunshine. Also why he was enraged right now.
The knife shot at an insane speed and cut through the neck of the unsuspecting fellow on the tree, slicing his carotid artery. Without making much noise, he rushed up and took the sniper from his now loose grip and jumped down from the tree.
‘Loose bunch. These people have no coordination, no training, nothing, probably some hired thugs. I thought father already took care of people who could bring upon such huge gangs? And where the fuck is he? Leaving mom and sis alone.’
He silently took the cover of various objects around the house and moved near a window where no sniper was watching over. He didn’t want to waste time with people on the outside when his family’s life could be on the line inside. He would forever live in regret if he came to know he could’ve saved them but couldn’t because he wasted his time outside. The only reason he even killed one was to arm himself and create a blind spot in their scouting range from which he could enter the house.
Using the blunt end of the sniper rifle to break the latch, he opened the window and jumped inside. But the first thing he saw in the darkness with his above average eyesight was a young man, the same young man he snapped at in the morning.
Standing among a bunch of unmoving bodies, his long white hair masked in contrasting blood red stains, face covered in blood, he was flashing an eerie smile his way. His turquoise colored eyes seemed to shine even more in the dark as he could see something swirling in them.
Lorcan would’ve almost shot the guy down if he hadn’t figured out that the ones fighting the black figure—who he could almost instantly know was his mom—were the same as ones lying on the ground around the young man.
*****
Laurent watched Lorcan lift his sniper before keeping it back down and rushing towards his mom.
‘Did I scare him? Well, my appearance isn’t exactly welcoming right now’
But he ignored it and continued battling the people around him, this time slowing down his tempo. Lorcan was here to take care of things.
*****
Ducking, Lorcan dodged the blow aimed at him before using the back of the sniper rifle to hit the assaulter’s chin, effectively knocking him out. He quickly realized that shooting the sniper would be difficult in such a situation, a melee weapon like the knife he had would’ve been much better.
The only reason he even wanted the rifle was to create a blind spot in the area he was watching over and knowing the layout of his mansion, he could’ve made full use of it, he had no idea there would be such a mayhem of battle already going on at full capacity. But without lingering on the thought of regret any longer, he continued battling his opponents.
Swinging the rifle hard, he jumped and made some distance between where the general battle was going on and went over to where his mom was fighting. It ached his heart to see a few wounds opening up even with the full body suit she was wearing. The floor of the living room was covered in blood from god knows how many bodies, without slipping, he took over the opponents of his mother and gave her some breathing time.
With a rate of about one man per a minute or two, he battled for the next thirty minutes before finally, the leader ordered a retreat after seeing the hopeless situation, someone had leaked all their plans.
*****
Laurent watched as Lorcan chased the leader figure but he didn’t help. He already knew it was Laurent’s uncle who had orchestrated all of this, no need to chase the leader in hopes of extracting the information.
‘Wait, if the uncle was able to display such a huge fake news all over the planet, it could only be with the help of the government right? Sure, he could do it alone, but as far as he knew, and from the information he had on their family, that uncle, Nash Hawthorne didn’t have much power in this family business, so he had switched over and went to work for the government.
Does that mean the government is working together with Nash? But what reason do they have to help him? Unless he was doing something for them too?... Wait, was this murder of mother and sister orchestrated by the government? No, they have no reason to. But, what if it was Nathan’s murder they orchestrated? No no no, then why would they still help Nash? Think think think, Laurent think.’
Laurent mentally went through heaps and heaps of conclusions and kept trying to find a reasonable motive behind everything happening but he felt there was some crucial information he was missing. But just in time, he sensed Lorcan coming his way, his eyes full of distrust, but before he could ask anything, Lorcan said with his ever so calm voice,
“It was your uncle, Nash Hawthorne.”
The effect was almost instant, Lorcan's footsteps wavered, exactly like his mother's, who seemed to be going somewhere, probably to check on Lorcan’s sister?
His eyes met Lorcan’s which seemed to not have come to terms with the statement thrown his way. But the man in question was still unconcerned with the brutality surrounding him as he made his way over to Laurent, and asked,
“Why do you say that?”
Disregarding the doubt, Laurent asked the one thing which might be the crucial dot he was missing to connect all the points,
“Is your sister always weak? No energy?—”
Ignoring the growing distrust along with a now faint sense of protective anger radiating from Lorcan, Laurent slowly continued,
“ —as if she is always low on vitality?”
“MOTHERFUCKER!!!”
And that’s when the Malevolent Blade erupted again.