Chapter 227: The Well Moves, Shadows Stir

Ezra stood in the dark control room of the water distribution system plant, his fingers dancing over the various controls and screens. His eyes roamed around, picking up the views captured by the different security cameras in the area.

It was time for the most important task of the night. Moving the Ascension Well.

Outside, the moon shone down on the world, illuminating the night and observing all that went on down below.

"It's a go." Ezra announced, watching and switching off and on, various valves in the room.

"Copy that." Ivo and Armand were strolling, out in the field, physically escorting the well as it passed through the pipes under them through a carefully planned route that Ezra was monitoring and adjusting in real-time.

As the night went on, the communications line crackled occasionally with their updates, each one confirming the progress of the operation.

"Turning to sector five, all clear," Ivo's voice came through the speaker, steady and calm.

"Copy that, proceed to the next checkpoint. Watch for any anomalies." Ezra responded, his eyes scanning the multiple screens that displayed maps and live feeds from various drones and cameras stationed along the route.

The room was filled with the sounds of soft electronic beeps and the whisper of air conditioning, creating an atmosphere of high-tech vigilance. His concentration was absolute, his mind attuned to every possible contingency.

The mission was going smoothly. Too smoothly. Should he be worried? Or was Yuri's deterrent, whatever it was, working? He sighed. He shouldn't be so eager to find out.

In fact, he should be happy that all these was coming to an end.

After what felt like an eternity of constant vigilance but was only a few hours, Ivo's voice once again came through the speakers. "The well is secure in the new location. All protocols are green."

"Thank the lord." Ezra sighed, allowing himself a brief moment of relief before he took charge again. "Initiate the shielding and locking sequence and confirm when operational." He instructed. "The Countess will soon be here to inspect everything."

"Who do you think you are, Ezra Matten? Our boss?" Armand's irritated voice filtered into the room.

"Countess' orders." Ezra answered calmly, keeping any amusement out of his voice. "Who am I to order such esteemed personalities as yourselves?"

He found a chair to sink into, hearing Ivo's derogatory snort. He could now rest easy. The Ascension Well had been relocated. Sёarch* The NôvelFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

He took a moment to stare at his hands, knowing one more chapter had been closed. He sighed to himself. If Itachi Yaiba came back now and lifted the Shield Wall, he'd be long gone by the next morning.

As he began shutting down the systems and preparing to leave, the door opened behind him, the hinge creaking loudly in the silent building. He turned to see X strolling in like he owned the place.

"X?" Ezra frowned, instantly on his feet. "What the fuck are you doing here? Weren't you hiding out somewhere or something?" He asked warily.

"I should be asking you that, you know." X said, sipping from the coconut in his hand through a straw. "What are you doing here? And where's everybody?" X asked casually as he looked around the control room.

Ezra's guard went up immediately, though his face showed none of his sudden alertness. "It's none of your business, X. You shouldn't be here."

X chuckled, stepping closer, an easy smile playing on his lips. "Oh, come on, Ezra. No need to be so secretive. We're all friends here, aren't we?"

Ezra didn't smile back. "I have places to be, X. And so do you, I imagine."

"Of course I do." X grinned, motioning to his outfit. "I should be at a beach somewhere, enjoying the light of the moon and not stuck in a war here."

"That's none of my business. If you're bored, find someone else to play with, X." Ezra made to move past him, but X stepped directly into his path, humming what sounded like a sea shanty.

""What do you fu-" Before Ezra could react, X's arm shot out in an instant, piercing straight through Ezra's chest.

Ezra gasped, his eyes widening in shock and pain as he looked down at the hand, black blood beginning to spurt from the wound. "Wha-?" Ezra coughed.

His hand shot up, grabbing X's wrist as he stumbled. He stared into X's eyes, searching for any sign of what this was about. But what he saw in X's eyes was something else entirely.

"The Necromancer." Ezra hissed in realization.

X laughed, a sound devoid of any warmth. "Sorry, Ezra. There was nothing I could do to stop it."

Ezra chuckled weakly, the black blood dribbling down his chin. "You should have aimed better." He whispered before his own hand shot out to grasp X's face.

X gasped, pain flaring across his face as darkness, pure and consuming, poured off Ezra. He squirmed under his touch as the Aura pouring off Ezra descended upon him.

It was oppressive, searching, judging, delving into the deepest recesses of his dead soul. X screamed, a sound of great pain and despair, as the darkness invaded his veins, visibly snaking its way through his skin back towards Ezra.

Ezra's grip tightened, his eyes glowing a perfect gold as he began to absorb one of X's tattoos. X screams were muffled by Ezra's hand on his face. His minotaur tattoo slowly moved as if in pain, walking to his face and crawling on Ezra's hand.

It moved slowly up his arms, its glowing red chains trailing behind him. It skirted the chameleon on his bicep, moved across his chest to settle on his stomach.

X's screams were cut off as his body began to disintegrate, turning to ash that floated away and dissolved into nothingness in the cold air of the control room.

As the last of X's body disappeared, Ezra stood alone in the room, the fresh tattoo pulsing slowly as it guzzled his vitality, strengthening itself.

The gaping hole in his chest began healing rapidly, the flesh knitting itself back together as if nothing had happened.

X was forever gone, with only a remnant in the form of a tattoo remaining. Ezra wouldn't say he was particularly close to the man but the rage in his chest didn't seem to be dying down.

The man had lived a life of servitude and didn't even get to enjoy his freedom for too long.

This couldn't be allowed to stand. Whatever happens, Ezra resolved to make the Necromancer pay for what he'd done.