Chapter 8: The First Attack

"... and I hope we shall all hear of you in the near future in whatever profession you shall join so..."

Five years had passed and Lucien was standing in the schools auditorium listening to the farewell speech being given by the director for the graduating class. As Lucien stood in the middle of the students not really concentrating on the director as he wasn't a fan of long speeches.

Luckily for him the speech was coming to a close.

"...I wish you all luck on your future endavours. Thank you." The director finalized as he stepped away from the podium.

The students applause filled the auditorium as the shool headmaster stepped foward.

"The farewell ceremony has come to a close and I wish to thank you for studying at Lakeview Middle School, may you have a nice vacation before starting high school next year. May Eryysia's blessings be upon you and your free to go."

The students cheered as they had finally completed their middle school education and had a long holiday ahead of them. Some students began talking with their friends talking about where to eat, which places they are going to visit and all that.

Lucien stretched his body as he prepared to go home but suddenly a group af female students blocked his way.

"Can I help you?" He asked

"Um.. Can you please sign my year book?" One of the students asked, holding a book and pen in his direction

Lucien didn't think much of it and signed it before handing it over, as the girl received it she let out a squeal of excitement clutching the book on her chest.

The oter girls also handed their books and even more began to surround him.

"Lucien are you doing anthing this holiday?"

"Lucien which highschool are you going to join?"

"Lucien can I have your phone number?"

"Lucien ...."

The girls surrounded Lucien asking a lot of questions and looking at him with stars in their eyes. Though that made the other boys jealous and envious.

"Tch, just because he's handsome all those girls just surround him."

"Don't forget smartest."

"And strongest."

"Goddammit you guys, are you praising him or criticizing us." The first boy yelled angrily.

This conversation wasn't missed by Lucien as he let out a sigh. During his three years in school he was popularily known as the Prince charming of Lakeview Middle School. Due to his incredible looks he had many admirers among the girls and many haters among the boys, this explains why he never had many friends in school. He was also academically gifted and one of the strongest student making him to seem like a perfect human being to the girls.

After an hour Lucien was able to ran away from the predatory girls and hop on a bus heading to the city center. Listening to some music as he texted his mom that he would come back late, he soon began to feel a pang of unease in the pits of his stomach.

Instictivly his hand went to the retractable spear in his pockets, he didn't know why but he had a feeling today was not going to be good. He soon made it to the shopping mall.

The mall was a towering structure of glass and steel, its interior alive with the chatter of shoppers, the hum of holographic advertisements, and the aroma of food stalls. Lucien moved through the crowd with unease, his sharp senses always alert.

He picked up the items on his list a couple of snacks for him and his sister as he quickly made his way out, his sense of unease getting stronger and thats when he noticed something was off.

He froze, his eyes narrowing. Something felt off. The cheerful noise of the mall seemed muted, as if muffled by an unseen force. The lights flickered briefly, casting unnatural shadows across the floors and walls.

And then he saw them.

From the darkened corners of the mall, figures emerged cloaked in tattered robes of black and crimson, their faces obscured by masks carved with jagged runes. On one of masked assailant's hand he saw a tatoo, a red eye in the middle surrounded by multiple cracks. The Cult of the Fractured Veil, the main antagonists, had arrived, and Lucien soon reaalized where this bad feeling was coming from.

(Image of tatoo)

Lucien's heart raced as the cultists began spreading out, murmuring chants in a guttural language that made his skin crawl. Shoppers screamed, running for the exits, but the malls doors were blocked by a shadow barrier, cutting off their escape.

A tall cultist stepped forward, his mask adorned with a blood-red gem that seemed to pulse like a heartbeat. "Zorathix's will shall be done," he intoned, his voice a chilling echo. "Let chaos cleanse this place."

Lucien wasn't alone.

From a nearby corridor, a tall woman in a sleek combat suit wielding dual mana-blades stepped into view. She activated her weapons with a hiss, the blades glowing a fierce azure. "Everyone, get to cover!" she shouted, her commanding voice cutting through the panic.

A man in a leather jacket holding a compact energy rifle took cover behind an overturned bench, firing precise shots at the cultists. His blasts forced one grunt to retreat, snarling in frustration.

Lucien recognized a few other figures stepping up to fight—off-duty security personnel, a pair of young adventurers, and even a shopkeeper wielding what looked like an old-fashioned, rune-etched axe.

The mall had become a battlefield.

A pair of cultists lunged toward him, jagged shadow-blades forming in their hands. They flared their mana, when Lucien realized that one of them was a peak F rank like himsel and the other was a lower E rank. Lucien activated Veil of Shadows, the dim light of the mall shrouding him in a dark aura. Their strikes passed harmlessly through his afterimage as he stepped aside, his spear spinning in a wide arc.

Spiral Vortex sent a gust of wind outward, knocking the cultists off balance and deflecting their projectiles. Without hesitation, Lucien dashed forward, activating Piercing Fang. His spear struck true, piercing one cultist's in the back and sending him crumpling to the ground.

The second cultists joined the fray, his movements erratic and his attacks relentless. Lucien activated Umbral Step, teleporting to a shadowed alcove 20 meters away to evade a barrage of earth spikes that appeared under him

Lucien emerged from the shadows with Eclipse Blade, the spear in his hand shifting into a weapon of pure shadow energy. The next cultist crumbled as the spear struck his heart, under its soul-piercing strike, his screams echoing as he fell.

The woman with the mana-blades fought near Lucien, her movements fluid and deadly. She severed a barrier with a clean slash before turning to him. "Kid, you're pretty good. Stay close!"

Lucien shook his head. "I can handle myself."

She raised an eyebrow but didn't argue, instead focusing on a trio of cultists approaching their position.

To their right, the rifleman provided covering fire, his shots precise and efficient. "Focus on the ones trying to regroup!" he called out.

More cultists appeared, their numbers overwhelming but their skill mediocre. Lucien found himself surrounded. He gritted his teeth, activating Spiral Vortex to knock them back.

Since mosts of the cultist weren't high up in the ranks it was manageable.

Shadowy tendrils lashed toward him, but he countered with Nightmare Chains, immobilizing the grunts in a 15-meter radius. They screamed, their resolve faltering as fear overtook them.

From across the battlefield, the shopkeeper wielding the rune-axe barreled through the cultists with surprising ferocity. "No one messes with my mall!" he bellowed, swinging the weapon in wide arcs that left the robed attackers scrambling.

As the battle raged on, Lucien noticed a cluster of cultists trying to maintain one of the shadow barriers. Their focus seemed critical to the success of the attack.

"Take out the barrier-makers!" he shouted, hoping the others would understand.

The woman with the mana-blades nodded, slicing through two cultists to reach the group. The rifleman aimed carefully, taking down one of the grunts with a clean headshot.

Lucien sprinted toward the remaining cultists, activating Phantom Cloak to disappear from view. He moved silently, positioning himself behind the group before dispelling the cloak.

With a burst of speed, he unleashed Shadow Lance, his spear extending with dark energy. The weapon pierced through the cultists' defenses, striking down the last of the barrier-makers.

The barriers dissolved, and the remaining cultists, seeing their plan unravel, began to retreat. A few disappeared into the shadows, their guttural curses echoing through the mall.

Lucien lowered his spear, his breaths heavy but steady. Around him, the makeshift defenders surveyed the damage.

The woman with the mana-blades approached, offering him a curt nod. "You're impressive for someone your age."

Lucien shrugged. "Thanks. I just do what I can."

"Name's Kira," she said as she handed him a card with her phone number. "What's your name kid?"

"Lucien."

"Hidden light huh." Kira mummered. "If you ever want to sharpen your skills a bit more, look me up."

Lucien gave a small smile but said nothing. As the mall's normal lighting returned and emergency responders arrived, he couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding.

The Cult of the Fractured Veil had just began to act and he knew the main plotline was soon beginning. He had to get stronger and prepare for what's ahead.