The early morning sun filtered through the window, casting long, warm rays into Lucas’s small room. He stretched, feeling the slight ache in his shoulder where the arrow had hit the day before. Thanks to Aveline’s healing abilities, it was nearly as good as new, but the memory of the encounter still weighed on him. Who were those men? And why were they so determined to kill her?
As Lucas dressed and prepared to head out for the day, a strange feeling nagged at him. Something felt off, like a dark cloud hanging over the city. He shrugged it off for the moment and grabbed his sword before heading outside.
The city was busy as always, with merchants setting up their stalls and people going about their morning routines. Lucas intended to return to the Monster Wall for more training, eager to push his abilities even further after yesterday’s success. But as he walked through the crowded streets, he felt eyes on him.
He stopped in his tracks, scanning the area. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary at first—just the usual hustle and bustle of city life. But then he spotted them—a group of men, standing near a market stall, pretending to browse the wares. They were the same ones who had chased Aveline the night before.
A chill ran down Lucas’s spine. They weren’t just here by coincidence.
Without a word, Lucas changed direction, heading down a quieter alleyway to avoid drawing attention. But as he made his way through the narrow streets, more figures appeared—more of the same men, all watching him closely.
“They’re hunting me now,” Lucas muttered to himself, his heart beginning to race.
He quickened his pace, but no matter where he went, the men seemed to be closing in. Lucas ducked into another alley, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. He wasn’t afraid of a fight—especially not after gaining so much strength from his recent dungeon venture—but the sheer number of them made him uneasy.
As he turned the corner into a secluded alley, he found himself face to face with a group of five men, blocking his path. Their leader stepped forward, a cruel smirk on his lips.
“You should’ve minded your own business, kid,” the leader sneered, cracking his knuckles. “You had no idea who you were messing with last night.”
Lucas didn’t respond, his eyes narrowing as he took in the situation. Behind him, more footsteps echoed down the alleyway. He was surrounded.
The leader drew a long, wicked-looking dagger from his belt. “We’ve been ordered to kill you, thanks to your little stunt with that girl. You’re in way over your head, Necromancer.”
Lucas clenched his fists, feeling the dark energy coursing through him. He wasn’t sure who had given the order, but it was clear they weren’t going to let him walk away without a fight.
“I don’t care who you’re working for,” Lucas said, his voice calm but laced with cold resolve. “If you want to fight me, you’ll regret it.”
The leader laughed, a harsh, grating sound that echoed through the alley. “You? Take us all on? You’re just one kid.”
Lucas didn’t bother with more words. Instead, he raised his hand, summoning his skeletons. The alley filled with the sound of rattling bones as his undead minions materialized around him—five in total, their hollow eye sockets gleaming with eerie blue light.
The men hesitated for a moment, clearly taken aback by the sight. Most people, especially in the city, had never seen a Necromancer’s powers in action. But their surprise quickly turned to anger.
“Kill him!” the leader shouted, lunging forward with his dagger.
Lucas stepped back, commanding his skeletons to attack. The clash was immediate—his skeletons met the charge of the men head-on, their rusted weapons clashing with steel. Lucas watched as his undead warriors fought with surprising skill, their movements precise and deadly.
The alley became a battleground. The leader swung his dagger at Lucas, but Lucas was ready. He parried the attack with his sword, deflecting the blade before countering with a swift strike to the man’s side. The leader stumbled back, clutching his wound, but Lucas didn’t let up. He pressed the attack, forcing the man to retreat further down the alley.
Meanwhile, his skeletons were overpowering the other men. One of the thugs tried to slash at a skeleton’s head, but the undead warrior dodged with an almost unnatural speed before driving its blade into the man’s chest. Another thug was cornered by two skeletons, their relentless strikes leaving him with no room to defend himself. Within minutes, the men were either on the ground or dead, their blood staining the cobblestones.
The leader, now bleeding from multiple wounds, stumbled back against the wall, panting heavily. His eyes were wild with fear as he realized how hopeless the situation had become.
“This… this isn’t possible,” he gasped, glaring at Lucas. “You’re just… one kid…”
Lucas stepped forward, his sword still in hand, but he didn’t raise it to strike. Instead, he simply stared at the man, his expression cold.
“You made a mistake coming after me,” Lucas said quietly. “Tell me who sent you.”
The leader coughed, blood dripping from his lips. “You think… I’d tell you anything? You’ll be dead soon enough. The girl… she’s marked for death, and anyone who gets in the way… will follow.”
Lucas’s grip tightened on his sword. He didn’t know who was after Aveline or why, but he could tell that this man wasn’t going to give him any useful information.
“I’ll ask one more time,” Lucas said, his voice dangerously low. “Who sent you?”
The leader sneered, even in his wounded state. “Go to hell.”
Lucas didn’t hesitate. With a swift motion, he drove his sword through the man’s chest, ending his life in an instant. The leader slumped to the ground, his body joining the others in the alley.
For a moment, silence reigned. Lucas wiped the blood from his sword and dismissed his skeletons, watching as they faded into the air. He had won, but something about the situation left a bitter taste in his mouth. Whoever was after Aveline was more dangerous than he had anticipated.
Just as Lucas was about to leave the alley, a familiar voice called out to him.
“Lucas!”
He turned to see Aveline running toward him, her face pale with worry. She skidded to a stop in front of him, her eyes wide as she took in the sight of the dead men surrounding him.
“I heard… I heard they were coming for you,” she said, breathless. “I tried to get here as fast as I could, but… you already…”
Lucas sheathed his sword, nodding. “It’s over. They won’t be coming after either of us again.”
Aveline looked at him, her expression a mixture of relief and guilt. “I didn’t mean for you to get dragged into this. You saved me last night, and now they’ve targeted you because of it.”
Lucas shrugged, wincing slightly as he remembered the lingering soreness in his shoulder. “It’s not your fault. Besides, I can handle myself.”
Aveline’s gaze dropped to the ground, her shoulders sagging. “You don’t understand. These men… they’re part of something much bigger. The people who sent them… they won’t stop until I’m dead. And now, because of me, you’re in danger too.”
Lucas frowned, stepping closer to her. “Then tell me what’s going on. Why are they after you?”
Aveline hesitated, biting her lip as if struggling with whether or not to tell him the truth. Finally, she looked up, meeting his gaze.
“It’s complicated. I… I’m not just some ordinary girl, Lucas. I come from a family with… a lot of enemies. There’s something they want—something I have. And they’ll stop at nothing to get it.”
Lucas crossed his arms. “What is it? What do they want?”
Aveline shook her head. “I can’t tell you. Not yet. But what you need to know is that you’re in danger now too. I never wanted this to happen.”
Lucas sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, it has happened. And I’m not going to just sit back and let these people come after us. If they want a fight, I’ll give them one.”
Aveline’s eyes widened. “But you don’t understand—they’re powerful, Lucas. More powerful than you can imagine.”
Lucas smirked. “I’ve leveled up a lot in the past few days. I think I’ll be fine.”
Aveline stared at him, clearly torn between fear and admiration. “You really are reckless, aren’t you?”
“Maybe,” Lucas said with a shrug. “But I’m not going to let them hurt you. Or me.”
Aveline was silent for a moment, then she reached out and grabbed his hand, her grip surprisingly strong.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “For everything.”
Lucas nodded, squeezing her hand in return. “We’ll figure this out. Together.”
As they stood there in the blood-soaked alley, the weight of what had just happened hung heavy in the air. But Lucas knew one thing for certain: whatever trouble was coming, he wouldn’t face it alone.