Chapter 12

Lucian stumbled into a nearby alley, his breaths coming in ragged gasps as he clutched his burning chest. The mark pulsed like a second heartbeat, feeding him strength even as his mind reeled from the devastation he had left behind. Shadows danced around him like living things, their whispers a chaotic symphony in his ears.He pressed his back against the cold brick wall, trying to steady himself. His hands were shaking—not from exhaustion, but from the raw power coursing through him. It had been instinctive, primal. Every attack, every deflection had come from a part of him he barely understood, yet it felt terrifyingly natural."Get it together," he muttered to himself, gripping his hair. "Get it together!"The distant sound of sirens brought him back to the present. His neighbors. The screams. The fire. He had tried to protect them, but...He squeezed his eyes shut, the memory of the explosion replaying in his mind. The walls collapsing. The flames spreading. The terror on their faces. I tried to save them, but instead...The air around him grew heavier, and the shadows thickened as his emotions spiraled out of control. A nearby streetlight flickered and shattered, raining glass onto the pavement. Lucian opened his eyes, staring at his trembling hands as faint tendrils of darkness curled around his fingers."What am I?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.The answer came not in words, but in the overwhelming sensation of power—the same power that had torn through walls, deflected holy weapons, and burned a part of him he couldn't reclaim. He flexed his fingers, and the shadows obeyed, coiling and writhing like snakes.With a sudden surge of anger, he slammed his fist into the wall, and the bricks cracked under the force. The shadows lashed out, splitting a nearby dumpster in two and sending a shower of sparks flying. Lucian stumbled back, horrified by what he had done."This isn't me," he said, shaking his head. "It can't be."But deep down, he knew it was.The faint laughter of a familiar voice echoed in his mind, sending a chill down his spine."Oh, my son," Lilith's voice purred. "This is exactly who you are. Do you see it now? The power? The destruction? It's in your blood. It's what you were meant for.""No," Lucian hissed, clenching his fists. "I didn't ask for this. I don't want this."Lilith's laughter grew louder, mocking him. "You can deny it all you want, but the truth is inescapable. You're not human, Lucian. You're mine. And one day, you'll embrace what you were born to be."Lucian dropped to his knees, pressing his hands to his temples as the mark on his chest burned brighter. The shadows seemed to close in, suffocating him with their weight."I don't want to hurt anyone else," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I just want to be left alone."But even as he said the words, he knew it was impossible. The power inside him wasn't going away—it was growing. And with every moment he used it, every moment he felt it, a part of him couldn't deny the truth.Lucian moved through the alley, the shadows cloaking him instinctively as he tried to escape the scene. But just as he thought he was clear, a faint, pained moan reached his ears, stopping him in his tracks.He turned slowly, the sound piercing through the haze of power and guilt clouding his mind. A shadowed figure lay slumped against a wall near the alley's mouth, partially illuminated by the flickering glow of the burning building across the street."No..." Lucian whispered, his stomach twisting as he approached.The figure shifted slightly, letting out another groan. As Lucian drew closer, he recognized her—a neighbor from his floor. Her name escaped him, but her face was painfully familiar. She was older, always seen tending to the small flower pots outside her door or chatting with others in the hallway."Miss Connors?" Lucian crouched beside her, his voice trembling.Her eyes fluttered open, her face pale and streaked with soot. Blood trickled from a gash on her forehead, and one leg was twisted at an unnatural angle. "Lucian?" she murmured, her voice weak. "What... what happened?"Guilt hit him like a punch to the gut. "There was... an attack," he stammered. "The Order—they..." He stopped himself, realizing how absurd it would sound to her. "There was an explosion. You need help."Miss Connors winced, trying to sit up, but a sharp cry escaped her lips as her injured leg refused to cooperate. "My apartment," she whispered. "The others—""They're evacuating people," Lucian lied, hoping to calm her. "Just stay still. I'll get you out of here."He reached for her, but as his hand neared, the shadows around him surged forward, brushing against her skin. She recoiled instinctively, her eyes widening in fear."What... what is that?" she whispered, her voice trembling.Lucian froze, his heart sinking. The shadows had betrayed him, exposing what he had been so desperately trying to hide. He pulled his hand back, clenching it into a fist to suppress the writhing tendrils."It's nothing," he said quickly, though the lie felt hollow. "I'll carry you to safety."But Miss Connors shook her head, her fear now overriding her pain. "You're... you're one of them, aren't you?" she rasped. "One of those monsters."Her words cut deeper than any blade. Lucian's chest tightened as he realized what she saw when she looked at him: not a neighbor, not someone trying to help, but a threat."I didn't mean for this to happen," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "I was trying to protect—""Stay away!" she cried, her voice gaining strength despite her injuries. She pushed herself further against the wall, her eyes darting to the alley's exit as if she could somehow escape him.Lucian's shoulders slumped, the weight of her rejection pressing down on him. The mark on his chest burned hotter, and the shadows writhed more violently, feeding off his turmoil."Miss Connors, please," he said, his tone pleading. "Let me help you."But the look in her eyes was clear: she didn't want his help.In the distance, the wail of sirens grew louder. Time was running out. Lucian stood slowly, his hands trembling as he stepped back. "Someone will find you," he said, his voice hollow. "You'll be okay."He turned and walked deeper into the alley, each step feeling heavier than the last. Her whispered words echoed in his mind, branding him in a way no physical mark ever could.One of those monsters.He didn't look back, but he couldn't shake the image of her terrified face, etched into his memory like a scar. With every step, the realization sank deeper into his bones: no matter how hard he tried to do the right thing, the world would always see him as something to fear.Lucian wandered aimlessly through the city's labyrinthine alleys, the flickering streetlights above casting distorted shadows on the cracked pavement. His chest throbbed in time with his heartbeat, the mark glowing faintly through his shirt. He could feel it—changing, growing heavier, as if the power within him was clawing its way to the surface.Stopping beneath a broken lamppost, he tore open his shirt, exposing the mark. It wasn't the faint glow he had noticed before. The lines were sharper now, jagged and intricate like cracks in scorched earth. Dark tendrils of black were creeping out from the edges, branching across his chest like roots digging into his skin.He reached up, his fingers brushing the mark, and hissed as a searing pain shot through him. The air around him seemed to grow heavier, and the shadows responded, swirling around his feet as if drawn to him."What's happening to me?" he muttered, his voice barely audible.The mark pulsed again, and with it came a rush of sensations: anger, fear, power. He stumbled back, clutching at his chest as memories—not his own—flashed through his mind.Flames consuming entire landscapes. A throne made of obsidian, jagged and cruel. The sound of laughter—Lilith's laughter—echoing through the chaos. And at the center of it all, a figure cloaked in darkness, his face obscured but unmistakably tied to Lucian.The mark pulsed harder, dragging him to his knees. His breaths came in shallow gasps as he fought to regain control. But with every pulse, the darkness spread, weaving across his skin like living ink.The whispers returned, louder now, their words clearer."You cannot deny us.""You are one of us.""Embrace what you are.""No!" Lucian growled, slamming his fist into the ground. The shadows exploded outward, shattering nearby glass and extinguishing the dim light from the streetlamp. He forced himself to his feet, his body trembling as he stared at his reflection in a shattered window.His face was the same, but his eyes... they flickered with something unnatural. A faint glow, like embers smoldering in a dying fire, burned in his irises.The mark pulsed again, and a voice—Lilith's voice—filled his mind."You are mine, Lucian. No matter how hard you fight it, your blood calls to me. It's time you stopped running and accepted your destiny."Lucian clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as the anger rose within him. "I didn't choose this," he said through gritted teeth. "I didn't ask for any of this!"But the mark only pulsed harder, as if mocking his defiance. The black tendrils on his chest shimmered, and he felt the power surge again, uncontrollable and wild.In the distance, the faint sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention. He turned, his instincts sharpening as he felt the presence of someone—or something—drawing near.The shadows around him rose like a tidal wave, ready to strike, and for a moment, Lucian felt the temptation to unleash it. To stop running. To fight back.But as the mark pulsed one final time, he forced himself to calm. The shadows receded, but the darkness in his heart lingered. He could feel it now, more than ever—this wasn't something he could run from.The mark was no longer just a symbol. It was a promise. A destiny.And with every passing moment, Lucian felthimself sinking deeper into it.