Luke's POV
I walked through the forest, breathing in the crisp scent of damp earth and pine. The trees swayed with the wind, their leaves whispering secrets to the night, while the crunch of my boots on decayed wood echoed louder than it should in the suffocating silence.
I half-wondered where the nocturnal creatures had gone. The owl wasn't hooting, the bats weren't flitting through the air, and the raccoons and skunks had vanished into the shadows.
This forest... was a dull one.
I sighed. How much longer? Obinna had said she'd be here-somewhere.
I pressed forward, stepping out of the thick undergrowth into a clearing where moonlight spilled onto a stretch of grass, soft and unbroken like a lush carpet. And there, atop a sleek black horse, sat a woman bathed in silver light. Blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders as she gazed at the sky, lost in thought.
I approached, hands tucked into my coat against the cold. A few steps away, she noticed me, her head tilting slightly as she studied me with narrowed eyes. Then, unexpectedly, she smiled.
"I haven't seen you around, handsome," she mused, amusement curling her lips. "Care to introduce yourself?"
I stopped beside her horse, glancing at the sky. A sea of stars stretched endlessly above us, scattered like fractured diamonds. The silence stretched between us before I finally spoke.
"I'm nobody, really. Just something your mind conjured to keep you company out of boredom."
Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Oh my, then I must be losing my mind. Shoo away, ghost," she said, flicking her fingers as if that would dispel me.
I chuckled. "Not sure it's working. Try a little harder."
She pouted before turning back to the sky. "At least you're good-looking. My mind hasn't completely lost its taste."
I smirked. "If I had to guess, I'd say I'm an apparition conjured by your subconscious-your dream man, maybe. But just so you know, even if you do have a crush on me, it's not mutual. I may not be real, but I still have the right to choose, you know."
She turned to me, head tilted. "Not every day you get rejected by a figment of your imagination."
"Must be a first."
"Not really," she admitted, her lips quirking. "Your older imaginary brothers rejected me before, but I tamed them eventually. Want to know how?"
"I'd rather not," I sighed. "You're Evelyn, aren't you? Never thought I'd run into the famous woman the entire ranch won't shut up about on my first night."
"You don't seem too impressed," she said, stretching her arms with a yawn.
"I'm not really a fan. If you're wondering why I'm not screaming, asking for an autograph, or throwing myself at your feet, it's because I have something called basic etiquette."
Her grin widened. "You still haven't told me your name. What should I call such a refined man of decorum?"
"Chase Nightshade," I answered, watching her reaction.
Her head snapped toward the sky again, a pink tint dusting her cheeks. "That name's hot."
I raised a brow. "But I'm hotter, right?"
She shook her head. "I have a feeling you're incredibly annoying to talk to."
"That's not true," I frowned. "You should feel lucky you're talking to me."
Evelyn pouted. "I'm the celebrity here, you know. It should be the other way around."
"Not to me," I said, stretching my arms lazily. "Right now, you're just a lonely woman staring at the night sky." I hesitated before adding, "Penny for your thoughts?"
She stuck out her tongue. "I'm not lonely. I just wanted some quiet."
"For someone chatting with an apparition, that says a lot."
"Stop with the apparition nonsense. I know you're real," she huffed.
"You don't sound so sure. This might be more serious than I thought."
She looked at me again, a soft smile spreading across her face. "Fine, then. Mr. Apparition, care to offer me some therapy before you vanish into thin air?"
I raised an eyebrow. "I'll try, as long as you're not too far gone."
She sighed. "Honestly, I just need someone to talk to. Sure you want to listen to my nonsense?"
"You made me up, so I guess I don't have a choice."
"Right," she murmured. "There's only one word for how I feel-lost."
I said nothing, waiting.
"I feel like I'm sacrificing too much for too little. And if I had a second chance, I'd make a different choice. But now, I'm stuck. My life moves forward because of past decisions, and I can't change them, no matter how badly I want to."
A distant bell tolled, the sound ringing through the night. The campfire call.
"I don't want to miss the bonfire," she said with a wistful smile, nudging her horse toward the trees. She slowed, letting me keep pace beside her.
I muttered under my breath. The damn woman couldn't even offer me a ride. Stingy.
"What do you think?" she asked suddenly. "Is my mind beyond saving?"
I exhaled, my breath visible in the cold. "Evelyn, everyone has a broken mind. That's what it means to be human. We all have skeletons in our closets, regrets we bury deep, secrets we never share. You're not alone in that."
Her smile was faint but real. "So, what you're saying is... we're all just a little lost?"
I looked at her. "Something like that."
And for a moment, beneath the endless sky, we simply walked in silence.
Evelyn remained silent for a while before finally speaking. "Talking to you is surprisingly refreshing, my faithful apparition."
"Like I said, you should feel lucky you get to talk to me. What would you do without me?" I replied.
She scoffed, turning away with a quiet mumble under her breath.
I might have teased her about it, but something else caught my attention. The once-silent forest had come alive with the frantic rustling of small creatures. That alone wouldn't have worried me, but they were all running north-away from something.
Evelyn shifted uncomfortably on her horse. She had noticed it too.
"Something's wrong," she murmured.
I raised an eyebrow. Stating the obvious, were we? "Could be a wild animal on the loose-" The words died on my tongue as a sharp, acrid scent filled my nose. Smoke.
I turned my head, and there it was-thick, dark wisps curling above the distant treetops. A fire. But this wasn't wildfire season, which meant someone had set it intentionally.
My thoughts immediately jumped to Obinna, and I cursed under my breath. Somehow, I just knew he was involved.
Before I could say anything or lead Evelyn away, the underbrush behind us rustled, and four figures stepped out from the trees.
Evelyn's security.
Damn it. Obinna was supposed to keep them off my trail while I approached Evelyn alone. Clearly, that wasn't all he did. He had pulled another one of his stunts-something that wasn't part of the plan.
"Miss, we've been looking everywhere for you," one of the guards said, his voice urgent. "Something's happening. Most of the men guarding the pathways are missing."
Shit.
Of course, this had to happen now-just when I met her. I suddenly had the overwhelming urge to strangle someone. How could Obinna be so unreliable?
Evelyn's expression darkened. "Explain. Now."
"We're not sure," another guard, a brawny Asian man, said, his eyes scanning the trees warily. "Something's been moving through the branches, taking our men with lightning speed."
Evelyn didn't look amused. "Don't be ridiculous. You all weigh several pounds. And you're telling me you didn't even catch a glimpse of whatever 'it' is?"
"It's a man in black," one of the guards mumbled, his voice shaking. "I-I saw him. He knocked Oliver unconscious-or maybe even killed him-just by flicking his forefinger against his neck. Then he carried him off like he weighed nothing and disappeared back into the trees."
The way the other guards looked at him said they didn't believe a word of it.
Well, they were in for a nasty surprise.
Evelyn studied the man carefully before dismounting her horse. Slowly, she stepped behind her men, her narrowed eyes locked onto me.
Shit.
"Miss, we need to leave now," one of the guards urged, but Evelyn wasn't listening.
"What do you think of all this, Mr. Apparition?" she asked, her tone light-but there was something sharp beneath it.
I met her gaze with a smile. "I don't know. Why don't you tell me?"
She smiled back, but it wasn't the same playful one from before. "I think Mr. Apparition is a very naughty boy-and he's invited friends to play with me."
Her guards stiffened, their hands inching toward their weapons. They had no idea what she was implying, but her choice of words made them wary.
And just like that, I found myself on one side, Evelyn and her security on the other. Their hands weren't on the triggers yet, but it wouldn't take much to change that.
All because of that bastard Obinna.
"So, Mr. Apparition," Evelyn cooed sweetly, "would you mind telling your friend to stand down and release my men?"
I shook my head. "I have no idea what this is about. Don't drag me into your mess."
Something flickered in her gaze-something new, something... unhinged.
And just like that, I had a sneaking suspicion.
This woman had been mad all along.
"Oh, you see, I have a strange thing with paranoia-call it a sixth sense," Evelyn mused. "And my paranoia tells me you're very much at the epicenter of this... bullshit."
I sighed. "Seriously? You have no evidence against me. All you have is your messed-up paranoia, linking me to some crime with no class. If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to camp. I wouldn't want to be caught in the crossfire of whoever's after you."
I turned and walked away. Well, half ran.
"You don't understand, do you?" she murmured behind me, her voice oddly sad.
That felt ominous. I picked up my pace.
"Kill him."
Her whisper barely reached my ears-yet it froze my blood.
Then the gunfire started.
Bullets tore through the air as I dove for cover, slipping into the shadows of the trees. They never expected me to be this fast. I could escape if I wanted to.
But I didn't.
See, I live by a simple rule-whoever tries to kill me doesn't get a second chance.
I may not be as naturally ruthless as Obinna, but give me a gun, and I come pretty damn close.
I hardly miss a shot.
I heard her men moving through the trees, searching for me. There were more of them now-probably a dozen after regrouping.
They thought I was the prey.
They were wrong.
I moved leisurely through the forest, each step silent but sure, like I was out for a casual stroll. The moment I caught the faintest rustle, I fired. Someone dropped dead.
Panic spread among them. Their frantic breaths and hurried steps made them even easier targets.
The second man fell.
The third.
The fourth.
At first, they might have chalked it up to luck. Maybe even coincidence.
But the fourth kill broke them.
Now, I could smell their fear-the way their hands trembled around their guns.
I whistled, the sound echoing through the forest. I wasn't hiding anymore. It was better if they all came to me.
And they did.
They surrounded me, grins plastered on their faces, convinced they had me cornered.
I almost felt bad for them.
Almost.
I pulled a second gun from my pocket and fired.
Six shots.
Six bodies hit the ground before they could even cock their weapons.
Only two remained.
They fired at me wildly, but their shaking hands betrayed them. They already knew how this would end.
And it did-two successive shots, and they crumpled.
I yawned.
Stepping out of the trees, I made my way back to where I last saw Evelyn. I doubted she had stuck around. If she had, Obinna was probably interrogating her by now-with that insufferable smirk, asking his questions 'nicely' in that twisted mind of his.
But when I got there, Obinna was nowhere in sight.
Only Evelyn remained, looking at me with an irritating smile-like I hadn't just slaughtered a dozen of her men in the woods.
I frowned.
Before I could say a word, she raised a strange device, pointing it directly at me.
It resembled a gun, but it was too bulky to be a shotgun. And something told me it wasn't firing bullets.
Before I could move, she activated it.
If it had been a gun, I could've dodged. But this? This was something else.
The moment it fired, an unbearable ringing pierced my ears. Blood spurted from my mouth as my body seized.
I tried to move-tried to run-but the sound was everywhere, suffocating, crushing. A weakness so profound overtook me, and I dropped to my knees, roaring in raw agony.
"What in the unholy abomination is that?" I rasped.
I didn't expect an answer.
But she laughed.
"It's a beauty, isn't it?" she purred. "A weapon designed by our very own Warlord. A fusion of sonic waves and electromagnetic radiation-only he could create something so magnificent. Be proud, handsome. Only a rare few get to die by the Warlord's inventions. Consider it an honor."
I coughed, more blood spilling down my chin.
"Crazy bitch," I muttered.
The ringing intensified. My vision blurred as blood trickled from my nose.
For the first time, I felt real fear.
I might actually die here.
I, heir of the Skybound Vanguard, slain by a lunatic.
I would never live this down.
Not even in the grave.
Just as I teetered on the edge of unconsciousness, the noise stopped.
I gasped, lifting my head.
Evelyn stood frozen, clutching her throat-her neck split open, gurgling blood.
Obinna loomed beside her, his face... wary.
It was the first time I'd ever seen that expression on him.
Whatever that device was, even he didn't like it.
Then I realized-I wasn't dead.
I survived.
I wouldn't say the same for Evelyn.
She collapsed, her final whispers barely audible.
"Alice... daughter... sorry..."
Then her eyes closed.
Obinna crouched down, picked up the damn device, and stuffed it into his bag like it was nothing more than a souvenir. Then he turned to me, throwing one of my arms over his shoulder.
"Come on, get your ass up. We need to move."
I gritted my teeth. "You bastard."
He whistled, pretending not to hear me.
I already knew the first thing I'd do when I recovered.
Beat him senseless.
Behind us, the distant wail of police sirens echoed through the forest.
But by the time they arrived, we would be long gone.