chapter 12

Chapter 12: Shadows in the Light

Inside Caleb's home, Metro sat down quietly, eyes scanning the artistry of the interior. The house was stunning—walls adorned with surreal paintings, antique relics resting in glass frames, and a faint scent of old parchment and incense filling the air. It didn't feel like a house. It felt like a sanctuary of secrets.

Caleb returned moments later with a cup of tea, his expression unreadable as he offered it to Metro. "Drink. It helps with clarity," he said with a soft tone. Metro took it hesitantly and sipped. It was bitter, but strangely calming.

A quiet lingered in the air until Caleb finally broke it. "Metro… do you think the Slayers are truly heroes?"

Metro paused, caught off guard. "I… I don't really know. I've only heard pieces. I don't know much about them."

Caleb nodded slightly, like he expected that answer. "I see."

After a moment, Metro leaned forward, lowering his voice. "I've been having visions lately. Strange ones. Sometimes I see things… sometimes I'm floating. Sometimes my own powers talk to me. I don't understand what's happening to me."

Caleb stared at him intently, calm and composed. "Those aren't just dreams, Metro. Those are signals. Your powers are trying to communicate with you, preparing you."

Metro's brows furrowed. "Signals? Preparing for what?"

Caleb only smiled. "You'll know very soon."

Cut to a downtown restaurant…

Mark and Ryo sat across from each other. Steam curled from their untouched cups of coffee.

"So… how do you know Metro?" Mark asked, curious.

Ryo sipped his drink, his eyes distant. "We have a strange relationship. Complicated."

Mark frowned. "That's odd. Metro's never mentioned you. He always said he doesn't have any family."

"I never said I was family," Ryo said calmly. "But Metro's in danger. The demons… they're after him. They want him to open a seal that could free the Lord of Demons."

Mark burst into laughter. "Demons? Really? Do you even hear yourself? Metro's not—"

Before he could finish, Ryo tackled him to the ground. An explosion ripped through the front of the restaurant as a car slammed into it, fire bursting into the air. Screams echoed.

Amidst the chaos, Ryo stood slowly, holding a glowing crystal necklace—Lucien's.

"I knew they'd come for this."

Across the street stood two figures: Zura and Zarik, twin demons, their black eyes gleaming with malice, grinning from ear to ear.

Mark, now bleeding and bruised, stumbled upright and froze. "W-what… what are those things?!"

"You can see them?" Ryo asked.

"Yes!"

"Then you're already entangled," Ryo said. "They're demons. High-rank ones."

Back at Caleb's house…

Caleb leaned against a cabinet, swirling a glass of wine.

"I never liked the Slayers," he said. "To me, they're not heroes. They're the antagonists of my story. They ruined my life."

Metro turned to him, confused.

Without warning, Caleb unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a mass of mechanical implants, tubes, and gas chambers embedded into his chest.

"The Slayers did this to me. I was supposed to die. But technology saved me."

He sat down, sighing. "But you need to understand… The Slayers weren't always a group. It was started by one warrior—Sazuki. She was the first to be blessed by the Goddess of Life."

Caleb walked across the room and pressed a button. A hologram projected old scrolls and battles.

"During those ancient times, the Goddess of Death—Sara—left the spiritual realm. And when she came to Earth, she brought darkness. She created Trayors and gave rise to the demons."

Metro's eyes widened. His visions… they were true.

Caleb continued. "Sazuki lost her family to demons. She swore to cleanse the world. She trained in the Blade Temple of Echoes, the Mountain of Moonfire, and the Obsidian Wells. She forged the first slayer code in blood. But as she returned from battle one day, she saw nations starving, broken from demon wars. Countries turned on each other. Famine and war raged."

Metro interrupted. "Why are you telling me this?"

Caleb turned slowly, his face hardening. He smiled—but it was cold. "Because the past is repeating, and you… you are the key, Metro."

Cut to a ruined mansion…

Lucien was bound in cursed black threads, kneeling in the wreckage of his home. Before him stood CLader.

CLader approached, examining Lucien's chest. "No crystal," he murmured. Then he smirked.

Lucien chuckled bitterly. "You really thought I wouldn't see this coming?"

With a surge of energy, he broke free of the threads.

Just then, the black butterfly—Sara—fluttered past, whispering to CLader. "Handle him. I must prepare the final phase."

The butterfly vanished, and the two former allies faced off.

Lucien summoned his blade, eyes glowing. "Let's finish this, CLader."

CLader's shadows pulsed. "With pleasure."

To Be Continued...