Darius stepped away from the house, his expression calm but his mind working rapidly. He pulled out his secure satellite phone, dialing a number only a few people in the world had access to. As the call connected, he stepped aside to talk. Kyle, however, noticed something within those dark clouds.
Something was there—something that shouldn't be.
A flicker, an unnatural movement in the dense storm clouds. It was barely perceptible, but to a warrior of his caliber, it was enough. Kyle let out a snort, bending down and picking up a small pebble from the ground. Without much effort, he flicked his wrist and sent the pebble soaring into the sky with pinpoint accuracy.
To an outsider, it might have seemed like a pointless action.
But the result was anything but that.
The pebble shot through the air with unerring precision, piercing the seemingly empty sky.
A few moments later, an explosion ripped through the air, scattering shards of high-tech metal across the sky. The clouds momentarily illuminated with the flickering remains of a military-grade drone, its advanced stealth system rendered useless by a mere stone. The remains of the drone fell in burning fragments, disappearing into the surrounding forest.
Meanwhile, in a highly secured military facility, alarms blared as personnel scrambled to control the situation. At the center of the room, a tall, broad-shouldered man slammed his fist onto the table so hard that the force sent objects flying—a golden pen stand, an antique teapot that once belonged to the first general, and various classified documents. The teapot shattered into countless pieces as cups tumbled off the desk, shattering on the polished marble floor.
The general's face was contorted with rage as he bellowed,
"Impossible! We spent hundreds of millions making those drones undetectable—by radar, infrared, even the naked eye. So how the HELL did he see it?!" He exlaled and said,"I have spent years trying to find your identity and still, to this date, I cannot find anything."
The officers in the room remained silent, their faces pale. No one dared to answer.
A subordinate, standing stiffly by the control panel, swallowed nervously before finally speaking, his voice barely above a whisper.
"General... what are your orders?"
The general didn't respond immediately. Instead, he leaned forward, rubbing his temples with one hand while the fingers of his other hand tapped against the table in a slow, rhythmic manner. The sound echoed ominously in the silent room.
Finally, he exhaled sharply. "Withdraw all the drones from the area. Bring them back to headquarters."
The subordinate hesitated. "But, sir—"
A sharp glare cut him off. "Do not make me repeat myself."
The subordinate swallowed hard before nodding. "Yes, General."
The order was given.
Like obedient shadows, the remaining drones dispersed, vanishing into the distance.
Back at the house, Kyle stood with his arms crossed, watching the sky with a faint smirk on his lips. He had already sensed their presence the moment he arrived.
Kyle knew exactly who had sent them—and he wanted them to know that he was watching them, just as they were watching him.
Destroying one of their drones wasn't just a demonstration of his ability—it was a warning. A message that only one person on the other side would understand.
As the remaining drones retreated, Kyle's smirk deepened.
"Good. You got the message," he murmured to himself.
Just then, Sophie stepped out onto the porch, her hands on her hips as she called out,
"Kyle! What are you doing out there? The food is ready! You must be starving after coming from the border."
Kyle turned towards her, his usual cold demeanor melting into a warm smile.
"Yes, Mother."
Sophie frowned, putting her hands on her hips. "Don't call me that! It makes me sound old. Call me 'Mom'—only then will I allow you inside."
Kyle chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright… Yes, Mom."
Satisfied, Sophie beamed and nodded. "That's better! Now, come in before the food gets cold."
As she turned to go back inside, she suddenly noticed Darius standing near the fragile walls of the house, still on the phone.
She frowned slightly and looked back at Kyle. "Who is he? Is he one of your comrades?"
Kyle responded without hesitation, "No, he's a subordinate."
Sophie's frown deepened as she scolded, "That's rude, Kyle. You shouldn't talk like that. Now tell me, who is he?"
Kyle sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "…He's one of my comrades."
Sophie nodded in approval. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" She then turned her attention to Darius and called out, "Bring him inside too! He must be hungry after all that standing around."
Kyle watched her disappear inside before shaking his head with a faint chuckle.
Darius, finishing his call, walked up. "Master, I've got the information you need—"
Kyle waved him off. "Not now. After we eat."
Darius nodded and instinctively took his position outside the house, prepared to stand guard.
But before he could settle in, Kyle's voice cut through the night air.
"Mom invited you too."
Darius stiffened. "…I am fine standing here, Master."
Kyle's next words sent an involuntary shiver down his spine.
"No one will dare to do anything. I've taken care of them."
Inside, a modest meal was laid out on a worn but clean table. Kyle sat down, picking up the bread while a hot bowl of soup steamed in front of him. A simple side dish of a chicken leg completed his meal.
Sophie placed a similar meal in front of Darius and then sat down with only a small piece of bread and a bowl of clear soup. Darius hesitated, unsure if he should really be sitting at the same table as the God of War.
Sophie noticed his hesitation and motioned for him to sit. "What are you waiting for? Come and eat. You're Kyle's comrade, and since he brought you here, that makes you family. Now sit and eat before it gets cold."
Darius stiffened, glancing at Kyle for confirmation. Kyle, already chewing on the chicken leg, simply gave him a look and said, "Sit down."
Gulping, Darius slowly took his seat, picking at his food cautiously.
Kyle, noticing the lack of food on Sophie's plate, frowned. "Mom, why aren't you eating?"
Sophie smiled softly. "I ate earlier, so I don't need much now."
Kyle's eyes darkened slightly. He knew she was lying. She had given them everything she had in the house, leaving almost nothing for herself.
Without a word, he took the bread from his plate and placed it in front of her.
"Eat this."
Sophie's eyes widened slightly. "Why did you do that? You've lost your manners, I see."
Before Kyle could respond, Darius quickly interjected, trying to smooth the situation. "Madam, it's fine. I already ate before coming here, so I'm full."
Sophie narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. "Are you sure?"
Darius nodded rapidly. "Yes, sure."
Satisfied, Sophie finally took the bread and started eating.
Darius let out a silent breath of relief, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
Surviving a battlefield is one thing. Surviving dinner with the God of War? That's a story for the ages."