Weakness

[Luminous Cosmos; Apostle HQ]

Kiaan's boots clicked sharply against the cold hallway floor, each step carrying the weight of a long, exhausting day. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

A loud chatter echoed from the next room, catching his attention. He glanced at Kiki, who trailed behind him like a quiet shadow. "Isn't this the info unit bureau?"

"Looks like they're celebrating," Kiki replied, her voice small but curious.

"Celebrating what?" Kiaan raised an eyebrow, suspicion creeping in.

Before Kiki could answer, a deep voice interrupted. "Celebrating their leader's comeback."

Kiaan froze. He hadn't even heard the man approach. Kai stood in the doorway, his arms crossed, a cold, unsettling grin on his face. The air thickened around them, a silent tension building with every passing second.

"Kai? You're back?" Kiaan's voice came out more nervous than he intended, the sudden appearance of his colleague sending a jolt of unease through him.

Kai's smile widened, his gaze never leaving Kiaan. "That's right. I heard you've been picking up the slack on Ananya's work... But what about mine? Who's been handling it?" His eyes narrowed, as if daring Kiaan to answer. The threat in his tone wasn't subtle.

Kiaan swallowed, trying to steady his breath. He wasn't one to back down. "It was Kyros," he said, his voice confident despite the knot tightening in his stomach. "But why don't you just go ahead and beat him instead of standing here, glaring at me?"

Kai's expression darkened in a flash. "I don't know why you think that's a good idea..." His voice dropped to a whisper, his glare burning through Kiaan, "But I'd love to see how long that confidence of yours lasts."

Kiaan didn't flinch, his posture unyielding. "Try me."

Kai took a slow step forward, the distance between them shrinking, his presence pressing down like an iron weight. Kiki's breath hitched, and she instinctively took a step back. Something felt off, but Kiaan refused to show any signs of weakness. He locked eyes with Kai, defiant.

Kai's lips curled into a smirk. "Here's something interesting for you..." He leaned in closer, his voice low and almost too casual. "I found the one who triggered the labyrinth inside Kaia and Kyros's old apartment."

Kiaan's heart stuttered. The black magic residue... That person?

The room seemed to hold its breath. Kai didn't break eye contact as he let the words sink in, his smirk growing. "That person needs to be interrogated... and she wants you to do it." His gaze gleamed with amusement, as if he were watching Kiaan unravel, one thread at a time.

Kiki's pulse quickened. She could feel the sudden shift in the air, her chest tightening with an unease she couldn't shake. Why is Kai here, delivering this himself? Her eyes darted to Kiaan, searching for a sign of what he was thinking.

Kiaan's expression remained unreadable, but beneath the surface, something flickered—a mix of curiosity, wariness, and the faintest hint of dread.

Kiaan's heart hammered in his chest as he walked, the words Kai had left hanging in the air gnawing at him. 

"One..." Kai muttered to himself softly as he watched his back disappearing as he walked away.

His steps grew faster, and soon he was running, his breath sharp and uneven.

"Two…" Kai's voice echoed in his mind, cold and distant. Two…

"Three…" Kai continued, a chilling countdown in the background.

Kiki's footsteps quickened behind him, her voice filled with uncertainty. "Sir Kiaan, wait!"

"Four…" Kai's mutter drifted into Kiaan's ears, a constant reminder of the pressure mounting on him.

He reached the interrogation room. The door swung open to reveal a full observation room, with employees murmuring in hushed tones. The air felt heavy, thick with anticipation.

"Six…"

Kiaan shoved past them, barely registering their startled faces, his mind locked on the door ahead.

"Seven…"

"Wait!" One of the older men tried to stop him, but Kiaan barely heard him. His hand gripped the door, flinging it open.

"Eight…"

He froze. "Oh, you are finally here? How many years has it been?" The lady said, sitting there, her brown hair cascading over her shoulders, a small, knowing smile on her face. "Kiaan.....you still have the same look back then sweetie." She said. Time seemed to stretch, the world narrowing down to just her, the recognition crashing into him like a tidal wave.

"Nine…"

Kiaan's breath caught in his throat. Mother? The memories came flooding back, the very sight of her enough to paralyze him.

"Ten…"

The voice echoed in the back of his mind—Kai's voice, satisfied, almost bored. Took ten seconds to break your confidence...

Kiaan spun on his heel, his body flooded with fear. His chest tightened, his breath coming in shallow gasps. Sweat soaked his skin as the walls seemed to close in. He didn't even notice the employees gathering around him, trying to reach out. The faces blurred, the noise faded into a distant hum.

"Sir Kiaan, calm down!" they called, but it only made things worse. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think.

Without warning, his hand shot out, crackling with magic. A pulse of energy knocked everyone within range off their feet, leaving them sprawled on the ground.

"Sir Kiaan!" Kiki's voice was a frantic whisper, her eyes wide with disbelief. She watched in horror as he staggered toward the door, his face pale and drawn.

He pushed past her, his body trembling. "Kiaan, wait!" she cried out, but he didn't stop. His steps were erratic, like a man on the verge of breaking.

Kiki blinked, frozen in place as he disappeared into the distance. No… Panic surged through her. She tried to move, but a sharp pain shot through her leg. She looked down to see it was sprained, and her heart sank. Not now.

She couldn't leave. The employees needed to watch the interrogation. But Kiaan was out there—alone, lost.

Her breath quickened, and a new wave of anxiety hit. She needed to find him.

Another employee rushed to her, his face grim. "Sir Kiaan has already left the harbor," he said, lifting her gently. "We need to take you to the infirmary."

"No!" Kiki snapped, her voice desperate. "Find Sir Kiaan first! Please!"

They ignored her protests, whisking her away despite her struggles. She was helpless, trapped in a place she didn't want to be.

A unit was dispatched to search for Kiaan, but they knew the difficulty. The panther splinter leaves no trace—if it didn't want to be found, it wouldn't be.

What do I do?

Her fingers fumbled for her phone. She tried calling Kaia and Yona, but neither answered. Kai and Ananya were out of the question. That left one person. Without thinking, Kiki dialled Kyros's number, her heart pounding as she waited for him to pick up.