Chapter 23 - 23 - A Dangerous Gamble

As his figure charged forward, Lucien's right arm continued convulsing, changing at a lightning-fast pace. His pale skin tone turned several shades darker, his fingers growing thicker with a thick set of curved claws protruding from his fingertips.

His face contorted into an angry grimace, a loud, angry battle shout escaping his lips.

In a flash, he appeared in front of the questioning, startled guard, and without any hesitation, Lucien pulled all his might into a swipe at the man's entire upper torso.

As he did, another battle was happening inside his mind, he was doing his best trying to control his rage and not lose himself in the process. No, that would mean that the 'other one' would take control again, and that can't happen.

His blackened, maddened gaze barely even registered what was happening, in his mind, he has already dealt with this first threat.

*CLING!*

However, much to Lucien's surprise, his ferocious attack didn't connect, his appendage, his claws hit against something cold… something metallic…

Startled, his mind quickly turned into a jumbled chaotic mess, he forced a strand of clarity back to his vision. As soon as his gaze filtered through the hazy cloud of rage, he was shocked to see as the man parried his (in his mind) unblockable, deadly attack. The dark, protector on the man's right arm, effortlessly absorbed the force of his attack, his claws were unable to cause any lasting damage to the soldier's guard.

The man snorted and sneered at the raging boy whilst he cocked his right, fisted arm back against his body.

"Heh… What did you think boy? We are not like those weaklings you met in the Facility. We came prepared to bring back the Master's little stray dog… Now… be a good little monster and take this!"

At the end of his speech, he launched his cocked fist. His arm whistled through the air, carrying all the man's gathered might, clashing against the center of the boy's unprotected chest.

The crunching sound of bones breaking was heard along with a loud smacking sound as Lucien's body was helplessly flung back in the air, crashing into the couch and tumbling through it.

A mouthful of blood was coughed up and spat out, as Lucien eventually landed behind the furniture, his tumble stopped as he hit the wall.

Watching all this, Sera frowned, before she sighed. A clicking sound reached the short, bearded man's ears; the hammer of the woman's gun was pulled back.

Her cold, commanding tone reached his ears, causing shivers to run down his spine.

"Tell your man to cease action and to leave the room. You have 5 seconds…"

"Wait, let me-"

"4"

"No, o-okay, I'll do it but-"

"3"

A sense of dread and urgency washed over the short man. He raised his arms in the air and yelled out.

"STOP! DON'T MOVE ANYONE! THIS IS AN ORDER!"

Instantly, the man who punched the boy just a moment ago froze in his trek. All eyes on the room turned towards the door, fixated on the blonde assassin that held their master at gun's point.

"Tell your little monkeys to leave and get back in the car. Now."

Not daring to play around any longer, the man repeated the woman's commands without fail, he yelled out, ordering them to leave the pair of Lewis husband and wife as well as the boy, and leave the house.

Although she was met with cold, hostile gazes from all these enhanced warriors, they all acquiesced to their master's command, and swiftly left the house one by one. Sera, keeping his gun pointed at the dwarf's temple, watched with a matching coldness, waiting patiently until the last of them entered the back of their van.

As soon as they were left alone, her eyes lit up, basked in a glorious, white, milky light. Upon her back, the silhouette of a pair of huge wing-like appendages could be seen, although it felt like more of an illusion, a vague shadow than anything else.

Suddenly an unfamiliar but thick aura burst from her slender body, clashing against the stump little man and throwing him out of the building.

Before his men had the chance to rush out of the van and rush to protect their master, his small figure rapidly flew towards them, crashing into the side of the car.

As his mind descended into darkness, and he lost his consciousness, a dreamlike, feminine, mature voice, vaguely resembling that blonde woman echoed in his mind.

"Come after this family or the boy again, and your end will be swift. This is your first and last warning."

As their men rushed out to help their master and to rush back, suddenly they felt an unbelievable pressure descend onto them, pushing them all down to the ground.

An angelic, but an unknown source of the voice, the sound of a woman rang inside their minds.

"Pick up your master and get out of here. If you dare to return, I will reap your souls. Don't test me."

Even though they were all subjects of their master's serum and were one by one enhanced, they still understood the simple and obvious fact: Against this woman, they stand no chance. At least currently.

So, whilst they wanted nothing more than to take rip them apart and get revenge for how their master was handled, they restrained themselves. They took their master's unconscious body and brought it back to the back of the van, got in it themselves, and drove away. Moments later the car speedily turned towards the north in the street and left the city as fast as they could…

For now, they had to return to the base, with their tails behind their backs. However, they all promised themselves to return the humiliation they received today…

—

Watching the speeding vehicle turning and swiftly vanishing through the corner, Sera sighed in relief. The glorious light dispersed from her eyes, the illusionary wings could no longer be seen, as well as the powerful aura she emitted was pulled back into the depths of her body at the same time.

She had to lean against the wall as the backlash washed over her. She felt extremely tired, spent. She sighed once again, before turning around, and whilst using the walls as the support she got back into the elderly pair's home and walked into the demolished living room.

Although both elders were mentally and physically tortured, they both pulled their bodies towards the unmoving body of the boy. Seeing the big cave-in over his chest, and the lack of breathing they sobbed woefully over his body.

Gently lifting his head and pulling his unconscious body into her embrace, Martha cried, her grief reaching unimaginable heights.

"Poor boy… My poor little boy! Why did you come back! We did all we could… we tried our best…. Why?!" She kept sobbing, repeating the same question.

Meanwhile, George's body was trembling, as his anger peaked. He was mad, no, he was furious at himself over his helpless, pathetic state. He couldn't do anything! Never mind saving his wife or the boy… he couldn't even do anything for dear old Roxy!

Just to prove a point, that stump, bearded figure shot his dear, trusted partner… He murdered her in cold blood, without flinching!

One word came to his mind. Monster! He was the monster and not this boy that they wanted to get their hands on! What was the point? How could someone that was supposedly from their very own government do something like this?!

"He… He… will be… okay… Do not cry…" The faint, weak voice of Sera broke both of them out of their grief, as she slowly pulled her tired body towards them, and fell on her knees as he reached Lucien's body.

Heaving another long sigh, Sera closed her deep blue eyes and focused her mind. What she did was risky and knowing the obvious threat the boy would be facing, it seemed not the most logical choice to do, she still believed in his master's teachings.

She had to trust the boy and let him follow his heart. She had to give him space and the option to face the danger headfirst and continuously fail. The order she was given was to keep him alive and guide him once he was to awaken but she was never allowed to force anything on him.

Taking another breath, she cleared her mind and focused. She had to save the boy. She had to make sure that he… his master would be kept alive, no matter the cost.

A few moments later, to the shock and surprise of Martha and George, a faint warm light surrounded the strange woman's palm that was placed over the boy's destroyed cavity. However, although the light itself was already magical and unbelievable, what happened next caused both elders to almost faint from shock and surprise.

Under the faint, white light that surrounded the slender hand of this unknown woman like a glove, the brutal, horrific damage on the boy's chest began to rapidly heal!