The traitor of humanity

Chapter 22: The traitor of humanity

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The evening air was cooler than usual, the mist rolling in heavier as Lucian made his way toward the outpost.

The lamps lining the city streets flickered with their usual silver glow, casting faint halos of light in the fog. The world felt quieter at this hour, but there was the usual feeling of eerie present all of alexendria.that was something he was used to at this point.

Lucian walked at a steady pace, hands tucked into his pockets, his thoughts split between two things, as the familiar hum of silver energy beneath his skin keeping him warm.

First, he needed to meet Reze—he'd promised her a drink, and there was no way she was going to let that slide.

Second, and far more pressing, he needed to talk to Eleanor.

Last night's conversation with Tigen had been vague at best, but the way Eleanor had reacted to the name Divalo made it clear that this wasn't just another mission.

Whatever was happening, it was serious.

And somehow, Lucian had a feeling he was going to get caught up in it.

---

By the time he reached the outpost entrance, Lucian had pushed the last of his doubts aside.

Whatever was going on, he'd get his answers soon enough.

The outpost came into view, its stone exterior partially shrouded by the dense mist.

The silver runes engraved on the outer walls glowed faintly, pulsing like a heartbeat. A few Silver Guards stood near the entrance, speaking in low tones, their expressions unreadable.

Stepping through the doors, he immediately noticed that the atmosphere inside felt different.

It was Quieter and expectant. Like something was looming on the horizon, waiting to unfold.

Lucian moved toward the reception desk, his mind already forming the questions he wanted to ask— Then, his steps slowed.

At the far end of the hall, near the entrance to the main corridor, stood two figures.

One was Reze, leaning against the desk with her usual relaxed posture, but there was an unusual focus in her eyes.

The other—Eris.

Lucian stopped mid-step.

'Okay. What the hell is she doing here?'

Eris stood across from Reze, her posture as composed as ever, her long silver hair neatly tied back in a way that only emphasized her sharp features.

Her golden eyes, however, were not on Lucian.

She was talking to Reze.

'It doesn't seem like just a passing exchange—an actual conversation.'

Lucian felt a strange mix of curiosity and confusion settle in his chest.

"Since when does Eris have casual conversations?"

The two women seemed completely unaware of his presence, so Lucian, instead of interrupting, took a moment to simply observe.

---

Reze tilted her head slightly, arms crossed, watching Eris with a half-amused expression.

"You don't seem like the chatty type," she remarked.

Eris didn't react much, simply tilting her chin slightly.

"Most of the time, I'm not."

Reze acted teasingly. "Quite a normal behaviour in this world heh."

Eris let out a quiet hum. "You're more perceptive than I expected."

Reze chuckled. "I get that a lot."

Lucian could tell that Reze was testing Eris, subtly poking at her responses, trying to gauge just how much of a personality was behind that cold exterior.

And Eris, She wasn't completely brushing it off. Which, in itself, was shocking.

'Since when does Eris entertain casual conversation?'

Before Lucian could process it further, Reze suddenly shifted her gaze slightly—straight at him.

Her violet eyes lit up with amusement as she leaned back against the desk.

"Well, well," she drawled, her lips curving into a knowing smirk. "Look who finally decided to show up."

Eris turned at that.

The moment her golden eyes met his, Lucian felt a flicker of something indiscernible pass between them.

Not hostility but surprise.

Then, in a voice as smooth and indifferent as ever, Eris simply said—

"First layer already?"

Lucian blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

Eris didn't elaborate.

Instead, she turned away, speaking over her shoulder as she started toward the main corridor.

"It was nice meeting you, Reze," she said, her tone neutral but not entirely impersonal.

Then, without another glance, she disappeared down the hall, heading toward Tigen's office.

Lucian stared after her.

"What the hell just happened?"

---

"You Know Her?"

Lucian exhaled, brushing off reze's curiosity filled question and shaking off his confusion before turning back to Reze.

"What is she doing here?"

Reze leaned on the desk, giving him a knowing look. "You tell me."

Lucian narrowed his eyes. "Why would I know?"

Reze's pouted slightly. "Because you didn't answer the question i asked just now!"

Lucian groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Reze."

"Lucian."

"Reze."

"Lucian."

Lucian exhaled. "This is why I was mentally preparing myself before coming here."

Reze laughed, finally relenting.

"Alright, alright," she said. "If you must know, she's here because she's joining Tigen's team for his upcoming raid."

Lucian froze.

"...Raid?"

"Yep, a six-person team. Outside." Reze added.

The words sank into his mind like a stone in deep water.

Lucian stared at her, his expression sharpening.

"Tigen's leaving the city?"

Reze nodded. "And Eris is going with him."

Lucian's fingers curled slightly.

"A raid outside?"

"What the hell is going on?"

He knew that leaving the Sanctroum's protection wasn't something done lightly. The outside world was dangerous—far more than what most people within Alexandria ever realized.

For Tigen himself to be leading a six-person team outside, and for Eris to be joining them...

That meant whatever they were after wasn't just a normal mission.

Lucian looked toward the hallway where Eris had disappeared.

Something told him that this wasn't just about Tigen's business.

This was about something bigger.

And Lucian needed answers.

---------

---

Lucian exhaled, running a hand through his hair as he processed everything Reze had just told him. Tigen was leading a. raid outside the city and Eris was joining.

Something about it felt off—like he was missing a vital piece of the puzzle.

But first… he had a promise to keep.

Turning to Reze, he gave her a smirk, one that was more habit than actual amusement.

"Alright, get ready," he said. "I did promise to treat you, didn't I?"

Reze's expression brightened, and she leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on the desk.

"I was wondering when you'd remember," she teased. I was starting to think you were going to conveniently forget."

Lucian rolled his eyes. "I'm not that unreliable. But before we go, there's something I need to take care of."

Reze arched an eyebrow. "Let me guess—Eleanor?"

Lucian nodded. "Yeah. I need to ask her about this whole raid situation. Something about it doesn't sit right with me."

Reze stretched her arms above her head. "Fine, fine. But don't take too long. If I'm left waiting, I might just triple my order."

Lucian huffed. "You probably will anyway."

Reze grinned, not denying it.

Shaking his head, Lucian turned away and made his way toward the investigation wing.

---

Lucian found Eleanor where he expected—in the investigation team's main room.

Unlike usual, she wasn't reading a book or doing some paperwork. Instead, she stood by the window, a steaming cup of silver coffee in her hands, her gaze focused on the mist-covered city beyond the glass.

She didn't look up immediately when he entered.

"I was thinking when you'd come looking for me," she murmured, taking a slow sip of her drink.

Lucian stopped a few steps away, crossing his arms.

"Well im here now, mam."

Eleanor finally glanced at him, her brown eyes unreadable. "Hah. You were always going to ask. You're too stubborn not to."

Lucian exhaled. "Then let's skip the formalities. Tell me about the raid. Tell me about this Divalo."

Eleanor didn't respond immediately. She simply stared at him, as if weighing something in her mind.

Then, with a long, slow sigh, she set her cup down on the nearby table and turned fully toward him.

"You weren't supposed to know about this," she said. "Not yet anyways."

Lucian narrowed his eyes. "So I was right. There's something more to this, that i am not even allowed to know."

Eleanor stepped closer, lowering her voice slightly.

"You don't have clearance for this information yet," she admitted.

Lucian frowned. "I bet, you're considering telling me anyway."

Eleanor studied him for a moment longer, then—to his surprise—she let out a quiet chuckle.

"Yeah," she murmured. "I think I am."

Lucian tilted his head. "Why?"

Eleanor smirked slightly, though there was little humor in it. "Because I know you. If I don't tell you, you'll just find another way to dig it up. And knowing you, you'll probably piss someone off in the process."

Lucian placed a hand over his chest in mock offense. "I'm very charming, actually im aware."

Eleanor rolled her eyes. "Shut up and listen, smartass. This isn't just some old legend. This is history. A unfortunate history"

Lucian immediately straightened. "Unfortunate history?"

Eleanor's expression darkened, her posture shifting slightly as if recalling something she had buried for a long time.

"This goes back to when I was still a kid," she said quietly. Lucian didn't interrupt. He just waited.

And finally she began.

"Back then," Eleanor said, "Alexandria wasn't as peaceful like it is now. " With a pause she continued "It was on the verge of crumbling."

Lucian blinked. "Crumbling?"

Eleanor nodded. "The city was on the verge of being overrun. Not just by vampires—but by the worse. Shades and the Creatures of Darkness."

Lucian's breath stilled for a moment.

He knew about them. The things that lurked beyond the Sanctroum's barrier. The same kind of entity that had come after him in his apartment.

"I was too young to understand what was happening at the time," Eleanor continued. "But I remember the fear. I remember the screams in the streets. The shades slipping through cracks in the walls, pulling people into the darkness before they could even fight back."

She paused for a second, staring past Lucian, as if seeing something only she could remember.

Lucian didn't say anything. He just let her continue.

"For a time, we thought it was just an unfortunate event. A sudden increase in attacks. Something we just had to endure until the Silver Order regained control."

She scoffed bitterly.

"But we were wrong. The support never came."

Lucian frowned. "What? What do you mean?"

Eleanor met his gaze directly.

"It wasn't a random event," she said. "It was engineered."

Lucian's heartbeat picked up slightly.

"By who?" His tone was a bit horse

Eleanor's expression hardened.

"The one who was supposed to protect the city."

A heavy silence settled between them.

Then, finally, Eleanor spoke the name that had been hanging in the air since last night.

"Divalo."

Lucian's stomach tightened.

Eleanor continued, her voice quieter but filled with something heavy.

"He wasn't just a traitor," she said. "He was the Overseer of Alexandria at the time. One of the most powerful Silverborn in the world."

Lucian felt his breath catch slightly.

A Silver Heart, A god among mortals.

'Someone like that… had betrayed humanity?'

Eleanor clenched her fists. "He wasn't alone, either. He had followers—people who believed that humanity was fighting a losing war. That the vampires would eventually win, no matter how much we resisted. And so, they sought a way to survive."

Lucian swallowed. "By selling out the city."

Eleanor nodded grimly.

"Divalo made a deal with the Vampire Lords. In exchange for his loyalty, they would grant him eternal life. They offered him power beyond what he could as a Silverborn had ever seen." With a slight pause she said " imagine a silver- heart with Vampiric blood and what kind of a monster it would be."

Lucian felt his whole body getting cold.' isnt a silver-heart already a god? Its even more surprising Alexandria didn't fell completely to this'

It was a normal reaction afterall. Who could imagine what a being with both silver-heart and vampiric blood would could do.

Eleanor wasn't done explaining and after letting lcuian digest the information through. "And in return, he opened Alexandria's gates to the Creatures of Darkness."

Lucian's mind was racing at and unprecedented speed.

'why the fu** did i end up in this world? Who knows when the city would collapse in actual.' Lucian felt conflicted

"UGh"

"It wasn't some vampire invasion. It was an inside job."

He stared at Eleanor, absorbing every word.

"And now," he said slowly, "Tigen's going on a raid. Looking for him?" Lcuian didn't knew how big of a difference was between the team tigen was leading, and a silver-heart vampire.

Eleanor's jaw tightened slightly.

"No. It's not confirmed," she admitted. " And it will be a sucide for anyone to go after him. But we have reason to believe that after all these years Divalo is plotting something again, and that's enough for us to at least try and confirm his existence."

Lucian felt something cold settle in his chest. A huge load of information he never could have guessed was thrown onto him, more than he could process.

'A Silver Heart-level traitor, someone who had once controlled the fate of the city itself, was still alive and Still plotting.'

The weight of the revelation settled over him like a storm cloud.

Lucian felt the fear in Eleanor's words." but its a team of six people! Wont they be able to deal with him? Even barely?"

"That's impossible. Only a silver-heart can fight another silver-heart and be alive. And Divalo is a vampiric silver-heart," with a long sigh he rubed her eyes " they should be fine, they will just confirm his existence around the areas his movements were spotted. And the higher ups will deal with it."

Eleanor sounded tired as she picked her coffee cup and took another sip."Tsk. Its cold already" giving lucian a look she said.

"Bring another cup of coffee for me."

"Huh? Alright" without trying to fight back he grabbed her mug and left the room.

But his thoughts were still stuck at Divalo and the raid.

"if Divalo was still plotting something—Then there would definitely be another Massacre."

"Ahhh i just hope higher ups will take care of these sh*t." giving up thinking on something he couldn't help with, lcuian decided to focus on his important job of providing coffee to Eleanor.

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End of chapter 22