Inside the dimly lit Aurelius lab, Theron was walking around the command chamber.
Two Vault Enforcers were already waiting, standing rigid in front of a central projection pillar, their faces grim.
"What's the report?"
Theron demanded, arms crossed, eyes scanning the blood-red screen behind them.
One of the guards stepped forward.
"Two of our field sentries—units posted in Sector V-9—neutralized. KIA. "
"Confird deaths by unknown intruders."
Theron's brow tightened. "Unknown?"
"Yes, sir," the guard replied.
"Surveillance feed cut out mid-transmission."
"All we retrieved were last-fra visuals—no ID confirmation."
"Run it."
The image flickered on the main pillar.
Two armored Aurelius guards stood mid-engagent. One was already falling.
The other had his comm unit half-raised before a blinding flash obliterated the fra.
Theron's jaw clenched.
"And you're telling this was a random intrusion?"
The second officer hesitated.
"We don't believe so."
"Both enforcers triggered ergency flag protocols before blackout."
"One word made it through: 'Luxoria.'"
The word hung in the air like a pulse grenade.
Theron's expression didn't move.
But sothing behind his eyes snapped to attention.
"...Luxoria."
He turned slowly to the first enforcer.
"Send a recovery and extermination team. Full sweep of V-9. No witnesses."
"I want biological signatures, beast traces, everything."
"Yes, sir," they said in unison.
As they moved to exit, Theron muttered under his breath.
"I need more than disposal. I need understanding. A better design."
He glanced up at the holo-sculpture of Nyxfang suspended above the lab's war table.
"I never thought it could be defeated."
Three Days Earlier…
Inside a restricted analysis vault, Theron stood next to a silent figure: Cassius Aurelius.
The air buzzed with data drones orbiting a suspended screen playing raw combat footage on loop.
It was the battle between Nyxfang and the CEO of Luxoria Castle, Luna.
Theron didn't speak. Cassius didn't blink.
They watched as Nyxfang was easily defeated by Luna's beast.
Even when she was sleeping.
Cassius folded his arms, jaw tense.
"Impossible. She shouldn't be alive."
Theron didn't look away. He was a bit confused.
"She was marked," Cassius said, voice colder than frost.
"Vance was assigned to end her. That was months ago."
Theron turned to him.
"Vance died. You told he died with his targets."
Cassius frowned.
"I was told it was handled. Cleaned. But she's here. And clearly alive."
Theron stepped closer to the screen.
"Not just alive."
"They evolved. They built Luxoria Castle in our blind spot."
Cassius clicked a small key-syringe from his sleeve, spinning it idly in his fingers.
"And now she's becoming stronger and making better beasts."
Theron growled. "Even better than Nyxfang."
They watched again—fra by fra.
It hadn't died.
But it had lost.
And that alone was enough.
Theron's voice dropped to a rasp.
"They were one of our misfires. A cleanup job".
"We never expected them to resurface."
"To think," Cassius murmured
"One of today's rising factions is one of our old loose ends."
Theron exhaled sharply. "This makes things complicated."
Cassius's gaze sharpened. "No. This makes things correctable."
---
Fiona jogged to catch up with Liora.
Her drones followed close, hovering above them in a V-formation.
"Okay," Fiona said, breath still a little ragged.
"We've killed a bunch of freak-chickens, pissed off a superpower family, and now apparently this is a revenge mission."
Liora didn't reply.
Fiona narrowed her eyes.
"So... I have to ask."
"What kind of beast did you buy that made the Aurelius family so damn furious they nuked your entire house?"
Liora glanced over her shoulder.
"Argentis."
Fiona blinked. "What?"
"Argentis," Liora repeated.
"Sovereign-tier. Silver-scaled. Looked average."
"Weak combat stats. Power level just slightly above Elite-Tier."
Fiona frowned. "Then why would they care about that?"
Liora slowed as they crossed a fallen beam.
"Because it had one thing they couldn't predict."
Fiona raised a brow. "...Which was?"
"Luck," Liora said.
"Extrely high, absolute-level luck. System-defying. Fate-bending."
"It survived death scenarios it had no right to walk away from."
Fiona's eyes widened. "Wait—you an it was lucky?"
Liora nodded.
"Beast Castle caught it by accident. Wanted to sell it off fast."
"They didn't even realize what they had."
Fiona's jaw dropped. "Let guess—Aurelius wanted it?"
"They demanded it," Liora said.
"Cassius Aurelius showed up with so senior goons."
"Offered a lower price than us. Arrogant. Entitled."
Fiona whistled. "So your family outbid them."
Liora's smirk deepened. "Lord L paid triple. For his sister."
Fiona paused. "That's... Luna, right?"
Liora shook her head. "No, it wasn't Luna."
"It was the other one and it was her first beast. She loved it."
Fiona leaned into her drone mic. "Chat. This is crazy."
---
[Luxoria Castle App – LIVE CHAT]
@LoreiaRising: WAIT. ARGENTIS WAS THE TRIGGER??
@BeastWhisperer: Sovereign-Tier with elite stats? Must've been super rare
@Streayes: They started a WAR over a lucky dragon??
@InfernaGirl: Beast Castle must've had NO idea what they were selling
@MoonByte: That's so Aurelius—lose a bid, send assassins
---
Fiona shook her head.
"So let get this straight. You bought a weird, shiny dragon."
"Cassius didn't get it. And he... what, cried?"
"Publicly," Liora said.
"Broke a control vial in his own palm."
"Scread about genetic waste being stolen."
"And then?"
"They sent assassins."
Fiona winced. "Over a beast."
"Over pride," Liora corrected.
"Aurelius's pride doesn't allow losing."
"Especially not to soone they consider 'beneath them.'"
Fiona exhaled slowly. "And that led to…"
Liora's voice dropped a note.
"Our house burned. Everything's gone."
"But Argentis survived. So did Lord L's sister."
Fiona looked away, whispering to herself.
"Over one Sovereign-tier... with luck."
Liora stopped walking and turned to her fully.
"Not just luck. Argentis was later reforged. Rebuilt into sothing greater."
Fiona's eyes widened. "No way."
Liora didn't respond imdiately.
She was already scanning the ruined cityscape.
The way her shoulders shifted, subtle and sharp, told Fiona everything.
It wasn't over.
Liora spoke without looking back.
"I've told you the story. That's enough."
Fiona tensed. "Wait, what do you an?"
"Go back," Liora said. Her tone was flat.
"Find cover. There are more coming."
Fiona's face dropped. "Wait, seriously?"
"They're fast. Trained. And not scouts this ti."
Fiona looked toward the horizon.
And sure enough, distant movent flickered over a crumbled rooftop.
Liora continued, voice low.
"You want to stream? Do it from cover."
"Let them watch. Just don't get in the way."
Fiona backed up quickly, nodding. "Yes, miss. Loud and clear."
She tapped her drone console.
"Alright, chat, we're going full stealth mode."
"Miss Liora is about to turn so Aurelius elites into lunch."
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