Unseen Forces

Felix had seen the worst of the Nine Dragons. He had once been a part of it, a weapon in their vast network of power. But something inside him had changed. Redemption was a slow, painful road, and just when he thought he was out, the darkness pulled him back in.

The alley was damp with the scent of rain and decay. A neon sign flickered overhead, casting long shadows against the brick walls. Felix kept his hand near his concealed weapon as he walked, every nerve on edge.

Then he saw him—Bintang, waiting in the dim light, his expression unreadable.

"You’re playing a dangerous game," Bintang said, his voice low. "The Nine Dragons don’t forget. And they don’t forgive."

Felix exhaled, his grip tightening. "I know. But I can’t stand by and watch anymore."

Before Bintang could reply, a phone in Felix’s pocket vibrated. He pulled it out and stared at the message on the screen:

It’s not too late to stop this. But they are watching.

A chill ran down his spine. He glanced around, scanning the darkness beyond the alley’s exit. Somewhere in the distance, a figure in the shadows stood motionless—silent, calculating.

The game had already begun.

Jakarta – The Sins That Never Fade. Felix had learned a long time ago—some stains never wash away. It didn’t matter how many good deeds he did. It didn’t matter how many times he fought against the monsters he had once served. The blood on his hands never truly faded.

He had spent years as a weapon of the Nine Dragons. Not just a soldier. Not just an assassin.

A tool.

A precise, deadly instrument, wielded by those who never needed to get their hands dirty. And for a long time, he had been fine with that. Until the day he wasn’t. Memories That Cut Like Knives The past never stayed buried. It surfaced in flashes—a face, a name, a life he had taken. Tonight, it was a child. A boy, no older than ten, standing in the middle of a burning warehouse, staring at Felix with empty eyes. Not screaming. Not crying. Just staring.

Felix woke up with a gasp, his heart pounding, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles ached. Another nightmare. Another reminder.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed, breathing deeply, staring at the moonlit streets of Jakarta outside his window. He wasn’t a killer anymore. But the past didn’t care. It followed him like a shadow. And he knew—sooner or later, the ghosts would catch up.

Felix pulled on his jacket, stepping out into the night. The streets pulsed with artificial light, with the hum of traffic and distant music. Jakarta was alive. And he was the dead thing walking through it. No matter how many Nine Dragons operations he sabotaged— No matter how many secrets he leaked, how many people he saved— It would never be enough.

Because he wasn’t just trying to stop them.

He was trying to atone. But the truth was, deep down, Felix didn’t believe in redemption. He didn’t think he deserved it. And yet, he kept trying. Because what else was there?

A buzz in his pocket. A message from Bintang.

We need to talk. Now.

Felix exhaled, shoving the phone back into his pocket. He already knew what this was about. Another mission. Another fight. Another chance to balance the scales that never evened out. And so, he walked. Toward the war. Toward the ghosts. Toward the past that would never let him go.

Felix never thought he’d see Nicholas again. Not like this. Not in an abandoned building in Jakarta, the city humming with the weight of unseen wars.

They had been brothers in battle. Two men who had trusted each other when no one else could. And yet, here they were. On different sides. But never enemies.

A Brother’s Warning

Nicholas stepped out of the shadows, his stance relaxed, but Felix knew better. Nicholas was never relaxed. Nicholas calmly.

“You should have stayed gone.”

Felix smirked, though there was no humor in it. “You say that like I had a choice.”

Nicholas exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I heard what you’ve been up to. Sabotaging the Nine Dragons. Stirring up old ghosts.”

He looked at Felix, eyes dark with something that wasn’t quite anger—but wasn’t far from it, either. “You know what this means, don’t you?”

Felix did.

“Wei Long won’t let this stand.”

Nicholas nodded. “And Yun Feng—he’s watching you now.”

Felix’s stomach twisted. Wei Long was ruthless. Yun Feng was unpredictable. Together, they were the real threat. And they weren’t just coming for him. They were coming for everyone Felix had ever cared about.

Felix sighed, running a hand over his face. “You’re not here to stop me.”

Nicholas scoffed. “As if I could.”

Felix chuckled. It was true. The Black Sorrow team had been more than just a unit. It had been a brotherhood. And no matter what happened next, they would never raise weapons against each other. Nicholas took a step closer.

“Listen to me, Felix. Wei Long is hunting you because he thinks you’re a traitor.”

“Yun Feng is watching because he wants to know what kind of man you are.”

Felix clenched his jaw. “And what do you think?”

Nicholas exhaled, looking at him for a long moment.

Then—

“I think you’re still my brother.”

Felix’s throat tightened. This was the closest Nicholas would ever come to saying, I trust you.

But it was enough.

Felix quietly. “Then fight with me.”

Nicholas smiled—but it was sad. “You know I can’t.”

Felix already knew the answer. Nicholas wasn’t with the Nine Dragons. But he wasn’t against them, either. Not yet.

Nicholas stepped back into the shadows. “You’re going to need more than just guts, Felix.”

“You’re going to need a plan.”

Felix smirked. “Since when have I ever planned anything?”

Nicholas laughed—a rare sound. “That’s what scares me.”

Then, just before disappearing, he hesitated.

“Felix… if it comes down to it—”

A pause.

Then, softer—

“Don’t underestimate Yun Feng.”

And with that, he was gone.

Felix stood alone in the abandoned building, his heart pounding. He wasn’t afraid of Wei Long. He wasn’t afraid of the Nine Dragons.

But Yun Feng?

That was different. Because Yun Feng wasn’t just watching. He was waiting. And when he finally made his move, Felix didn’t know if he’d be ready.

Jakarta – A City of Silent Deals. Nicholas had always played the long game. Survival wasn’t about brute strength—it was about knowing when to move and when to wait. Right now, he was waiting. Waiting to see what kind of man Felix had become.

Waiting to see if his brother was truly lost to the war. But when he received word that Wei Long was preparing to move against Felix, Nicholas made a choice. A dangerous one.

—

Nicholas moved through the underground corridors of Jakarta’s criminal network, his face shadowed beneath a hood. He knew the risks. Giving Felix information meant betraying the Nine Dragons.

But staying silent?

That meant watching his brother die. So, for the first time in his life, Nicholas bet on family. Felix sat alone at a rooftop bar, the city’s neon glow reflecting off the rain-slicked streets below. He wasn’t drinking. He was waiting. And when Nicholas finally appeared, sliding into the seat across from him, Felix already knew—

Something was wrong.

Felix calmly. “You look like a man committing treason.”

Nicholas smirked. “Not yet.”

Felix raised an eyebrow. “Then why are we here?”

Nicholas leaned in, his voice low. “Wei Long is moving against you.”

Felix tensed, but he didn’t look surprised.

Nicholas continued. “He’s sending someone. Someone you won’t see coming.”

“And if you’re not careful, Felix—this is where your war ends.”

Silence.

Then—

“Why are you telling me this?”

Nicholas exhaled. “Because flesh and bone, remember?”

Felix felt something tighten in his chest. Nicholas wasn’t choosing a side. But he was choosing Felix. And in this war, that was already dangerous enough.

Nicholas stood. “Don’t contact me again. If they suspect I warned you—”

He didn’t finish. He didn’t have to.

Felix nodded. “I owe you.”

Nicholas gave a small, knowing smile. “Yeah. You do.”

And then he was gone.

Felix stared at the city lights, his mind racing. Nicholas had just risked everything. Which meant one thing— Whatever was coming next was worse than he’d imagined. And for the first time in a long time— Felix wondered if he was ready.