Chapter 11

Kellan and Lira strode toward the looming fortress of Catapony, their movements casual, confident, perfectly in character for villains who had just captured five high-value targets. Behind them, bound in shackles, Elena, Ryn, Mira, Soren, and Dax played their roles to perfection.

Elena kept her head down, but her sharp eyes scanned the area as they approached. The villains outside the building varied in strength, ranging from A-rank traitors to C-rank thugs—some of whom she had thrown into prison herself.

And worse… there were familiar faces.

Former heroes. Men and women who had once fought for justice but had abandoned their morals in the face of overwhelming defeat. They had flipped, turning their backs on everything they once stood for, and now stood among criminals, laughing, drinking, and reveling in villainy.

Elena's gaze burned through them like a blade. Some of them noticed. They stiffened under her stare, guilt flickering across their faces before they quickly looked away.

Cowards.

She wasn't completely unsympathetic—she understood why some of them had changed sides. When the world crumbled, survival instincts took over. When everything was against them, when defeat was all but certain, some chose life over honor.

But she couldn't respect them for it.

One of the former heroes—a speedster named Blitzstrike—caught her eye. His electric-blue suit was gone, replaced by dark, jagged armor. He shifted uncomfortably under her glare, then turned away, disappearing into the crowd.

A loud cheer erupted as Kellan and Lira marched their prisoners toward the entrance.

"Damn, they actually got her!"

"This is huge! Freakin' Elena Voss—finally caged!"

"She's been a thorn in our side for way too long. Time for some payback!"

Elena kept her expression neutral as the villains celebrated, watching her as if she were some trophy being paraded through the streets.

"Where's Catapony?" Kellan asked one of the guards near the entrance, his voice gruff.

"Upstairs," the guard replied. "But he's on his way down—he wants to see this for himself."

That wasn't part of the plan.

Elena's jaw clenched, but she forced herself to remain calm.

Catapony wasn't supposed to be on the ground floor. They had planned to clear the floor first before working their way up.

If he arrived too soon, things could get messy.

They entered the building.

The moment they stepped inside, Elena realized there were way more people than expected.

The ground floor was packed with dozens of villains, all gathered in anticipation. Word had spread quickly that she had been captured. Some had even paused their drinking and gambling just to be present for the grand event.

Her torture.

That's what they all wanted to see.

She could see it in their eyes—the burning hatred, the smug grins.

They wanted her to suffer.

Elena swallowed her disgust, glancing at Ryn and Mira. They were tense but unreadable, scanning the room just as she was.

Almost time.

According to the plan, as soon as the doors shut behind them, the real attack would begin.

Mira would use her shadows to seal the exits while Soren would guard the entrance. Then, they would systematically take down the enemies floor by floor.

Elena braced herself as the massive steel doors clanked shut.

This was it.

Kellan and Lira dragged the trolley to the center of the room, shoving their prisoners forward. The loose shackles around Dax and Soren slipped off.

Elena stiffened.

Why…?

Why were Ryn, Mira, and herself still bound?

She tugged at her shackles, expecting them to fall away just as planned.

They didn't.

Her pulse spiked.

Something was wrong.

Ryn's head tilted slightly, his lips twitching into an almost imperceptible smirk. He already knew what was happening.

Because Mira told him.

The moment she had clung onto his back earlier, she had whispered her suspicions into his ear.

He had believed her.

Now, as chaos lurked just beyond the surface, his golden eyes flicked toward Mira, and she smirked back.

A silent, knowing look passed between them.

"Told you so."

Mira's dark gaze gleamed mischievously, and she gave him a subtle expression.

'Now give me a kiss.'

But no one noticed their secret exchange.

All eyes were on Elena.

The tension in the room was suffocating.

Elena's mind was racing.

Why weren't the shackles coming off?

Why weren't Kellan and Lira stepping back?

Then she saw it.

The looks on their faces.

Not tension.

Not anticipation.

Satisfaction.

Dax and Soren stepped forward, grinning.

Elena's blood ran cold.

No.

No.

No. No. No.

Not again.

Kellan crossed his arms, his bruised lips curling into a smirk. "You really thought we'd switch sides that easily?"

Elena froze.

The realization crashed over her like a tidal wave.

Dax.

Soren.

Kellan.

Lira.

They had betrayed her. Again. 

A slow, sinking feeling clawed its way up her spine.

It wasn't just Kellan and Lira this time.

Dax and Soren had flipped too.

Elena had walked right into a trap.

The shackles tightened around her wrists.

She yanked against them, but they didn't budge.

Her heart pounded.

No. This can't be happening.

Kellan stepped closer, his smirk widening. "Welcome to hell, Voss."

Dax chuckled, tilting his head. "We never stood a chance against the villains. It's better this way, don't you think?"

Soren twirled her blade between her fingers, her expression unreadable. "You should've seen this coming."

Elena's breath was shallow.

She turned her head, her one good eye locking onto the tiny girl still clinging to Ryn's back.

Mira wasn't looking at her.

She was staring at Ryn.

And Ryn… was grinning.

Not in amusement.

Not in confidence.

But in excitement.

He wasn't surprised.

He had known.

And now, his golden eyes burned with something wild.

Something thrilled.

He wanted this.

Not the betrayal.

But the chaos.

The bloodshed.

The absolute massacre that was about to begin.

The crowd of villains erupted into cheers, laughing, jeering, eager to witness Elena's downfall.

A hush fell over them as footsteps echoed from the grand staircase.

Catapony had arrived.

Elena barely heard it.

She was still staring at Ryn.

Her mind was still reeling from the betrayal.

Her body tensed, breath shaky, rage bubbling beneath the surface.

Kellan reached for her, grabbing her chin roughly. "Hope you're ready for a long night—"

And then.

Then.

Mira smiled.

And all the lights went out.