He hated the feeling of helplessness that bubbled from within. It was one of the reasons he so much sought strength and power. To decide his own fate and life.
His eyes hardened. "Congratulations, Darius Faulkner. You have entered the list of those I would kill."
Darius was unfazed and even a little amused. "Is that so? You sound a little vicious with that mask on. But even without you paralyzed, what can you do?
"It’s only the weak that create bullshit lists like ’kill list.’ The strong kill when they want. Haven’t I drilled that through your head in your short stay in the Academy? The world runs on this principle. Do you think this Great Empire would remain so without this mindset?"
Severin blinked and accepted the rebuke. Yes, compared to Darius, he was weak.
But he wouldn’t always remain so.
He was once weaker as well.
"My team," Severin began. "Instructor Ardent. All of them will find me! There’s no way to keep me here without them knowing and not..."
"I’m not keeping you in the Academy. You’re smarter than that. You’ll be taken to a place where the sun would never reach. Then you’ll spend the rest of your life as a blissful, grateful, obedient son who would do anything for his father. We’ll extract the power no matter how many years it takes.
"So prepare yourself, my son!"
Severin shuddered inside and his skin crawled, goosebumps ran down his body. From the angle where he was lying, he could see Darius gave him a small smile.
The helplessness within him grew so much that he couldn’t help himself and spat. Together with the power of acceleration, it traveled so fast that Darius blocked it at the last moment.
The man stared at his hand in surprise. Then his face hardened as he stepped close to the smiling Severin. "Fuck you... father."
The last thing he saw was a hand shooting for his head.
☆☆▪︎▪︎☆☆
"This is him. The Reignhart," Darius Faulkner said as he threw him into the carriage.
Severin had come back to consciousness earlier when Darius dragged him towards the large metal carriage. He had tried to speak, but it seemed he had been hit with a stronger dose of the paralyzing liquid.
"Do not let him escape. He’s very sly," Darius said.
Severin blinked to get the drowsiness from his eyes. Thankfully, he was still in his mask, but his costume of raven feathers for a cloak had been taken.
Also, someone tried to remove his mask.
His eyes turned in their sockets so that he could get the best possible angles of the carriage.
It was a carriage fit for a lord with the way it was decorated inside. Large chairs and comfy rugs on the ground.
The inside was laced with different runes, and one of them must be to regulate the temperature in the space. Really expensive.
Darius and his sponsors must be really loaded. The thought only made Severin more sad and angry.
Darius continued to speak with the person. "You will be the one to look after him till the end of the operation. You are now the personal guard of the Faulkner family.
"And tell that witch to be careful when wiping his memories. We don’t want a zombie in our hands."
The carriage then dipped down slowly as someone else got in.
When Severin saw the person, his heart almost stopped beating for an instant, and all he could do was stare.
It was one of the Headless.
The one hundred Imperial Guards of the Emperor.
Following the Headless Knight were normal warriors that wore masks on their faces. Five of them.
What the fuck? Even those who are higher are in the know too? Severin shivered inside. Things had just gone from good to bad in an instant.
He must not let himself be transported out of the place!
Desperately he called, "Darius! You’ve really made a mistake this time!"
Darius showed himself at the door, his one eye glittering. "What do you want, boy?"
Severin forced a chuckle. "Darius. Do you really think I am Severin Reignhart? That’s a mistake you made. I am not him."
Darius raised his single brow. "Eh... don’t tell me this is all you have? Aren’t you a little desperate now? You are not Severin Reignhart?"
"Think about it, Darius. Does anyone leave the House Chains building? Do you see Severin Reignhart personally leave the building? Why would you think I am him? Don’t your minors tell you Severin Reignhart is still in his place?"
A small flicker of doubt appeared in Darius’s eye, but it was gone and his eyes hardened. "Shameless bastard. I know you are good at making people follow what you want, but I didn’t know you are this good.
"You too. Think about this. There was an explosion close to the House Chains where my subordinates were distracted for some seconds. Naturally, no one in your team has the power to escape from the House in that short amount of time.
"But you are different, Severin. You are just recently back from the Sector Delta. Who knows the type of powers that comes with you? And thank you for your cooperation, Severin Reignhart. I will look into this little matter you highlight."
Severin grimaced. "Darius. You will remember this conversation and it’ll be too late. You can only grit your teeth and swear."
Darius snorted. "I can sense you, boy. Now, we will meet as family. Take care, my new son."
The carriage closed with a firm click.
And it began to move.
It was so silent inside that Severin almost thought he was alone.
He blinked at the Headless that sat directly in front of him. The others sat around him as well.
Severin gave a sheepish smile, even though they couldn’t see it, but he made his voice casual. "Jade Callahan. I know you are among them. Do you really want to be Darius’s lapdog?
"I can guarantee you a firm place at my House. Besides, do you know where my team is going to train this holiday? I wrote the best application of the decade. I’m sure they’ll be here personally to escort us."
Jade snorted, and his voice suddenly came from the other warriors. "You know, Severin. You said I talk too much, right? Don’t you find that ironic? You talk from two mouths! Didn’t you just confess to being Severin Reignhart just now?"
Before Severin could say anything, Jade continued. "Knock him unconscious!"
Everything went blank afterwards.