"Unbelievably ridiculous. We saved you. We showed you kindness. Not only that, but we agreed to help you reach Dravenue. I even had to conduct a meeting with the executive members of Bronte for Leon's stay. And this is how you kids repay me? Repay Bronte? By deceiving us and working with those Dragonesians?"

Luxuria was beyond furious. The veins in her neck and arms were close to popping out, whereas her eyes were red in anger. She was shaking with utmost vexation, while her lips trembled to spill out the next words, full of fury. Her calm mien had completely shattered down, making her appear almost unfamiliar to the five.

"There must be a mistake." Alana stepped forward. "Of course there could be a spy among us, but I can assure you, it is not us five or anyone from among us."

"Young lady, are you by any chance insinuating that the spy is one of the members of Bronte?" Luxuria's eyes squinted in annoyance.

"Of course that's not what Alana is suggesting," Lena said, "She just means that the spy is not one of us."

"Oh, then how do you expect the Dragonesians to know about Bronte?" Luxuria asked. "Ever since Bronte was established, no Dragonesian could find out about this organization. Over the years, like you all, we saved many humans and trusted them with the information of Bronte. No one even thought of ever deceiving us and joining hands with the Dragonesians—"

"Of course we did not spy behind your back," Cynthia retorted, interrupting Luxuria's accusations, "We had been inside the headquarters of Bronte ever since we were brought here."

"Oh please," Luxuria scoffed, rolling her eyes eventually, "No one, and I can say this with confidence, not a single soul, regardless of their species, can ever find Bronte on their own accord, unless one of us wants them to."

"Miss Demi," Leon said with hesitancy, "I know that you probably have doubts about me the most, since I am a Dragonesian. But I swear, I am with righteous people. And I can also assure you, whoever this spy may be, it is not one of us."

"Well, where is the other friend of yours, then? I can't see him."

At Luxuria's remark, Alana, Leon, Lena, and Cynthia looked around them to find no sign of Lucian.

He was gone. Completely.

"He is not the spy," Lena let out through gritted teeth, "Lucian can never be the spy."

"Funny how Bronte is on the verge of facing its downfall due to a spy called 1103," Luxuria chortled wryly, running her fingers through her hair, "Seems like this Lucian betrayed you all too."

"No he did not!" Cynthia yelled at Luxuria, causing the woman to flinch for a short period. Cynthia, just like her friends, refused to believe that Lucian's sudden absence when they thought he was with them, could lead to him being 1103.

It was simply a preposterous assumption.

"We refuse to believe such ridiculous accusations without any concrete evidence," Leon wasted no time in uttering out.

"He is right," Alana said, "You have no right to accuse us without any proof. It is absurd to even blame someone based off the mere fact that they are new individuals at an organization."

"We will find Lucian," Lena stated with confidence, "And then you can have his word."

"Let us go now, then." At Alana's command, all of them exited Luxuria's office and parted ways to look for Lucian.

But before Alana could leave, Luxuria called her, to her surprise.

"Alana."

The girl was startled to find Luxuria's eyes glistening with tears of fear, as she held onto her desk to support her body.

"They are coming."

"Who?" Alana asked in confusion.

"Entire Dragonesia and their Dragonesian troops. Their first attack will be on Bronte. I believe, it will happen tonight. I am helpless, Alana. Everyone here is depending on Bronte, on me, for their safety. We are yet not prepared, and I know many of us will lose our lives. But I want your help, please."

"I will Miss Demi," Alana said, her own eyes glistening with tears, "I promise."

Almost instantaneously, Alana watched the office of Luxuria being blown up in flames, and her own self colliding with the hard ground due to the explosion. As the girl allowed herself to fall unconscious, the bellow of pain of Luxuria, flew into her ears. And she wished she was stronger and more observant as she lied there helpless, and witnessed Luxuria's burning death.

"Should we head there?" Cynthia asked the crimson eyed Dragonesian and Lena, pointing her fingers at a relatively desolate alley.

Leon gulped before nodding his head, followed by the blonde.

As the three rushed their ways and into the dark alley, blood-curdling screams echoed and rumbled the fine architectures of Bronte. Pillars shook due to the sudden impact. And there was no doubt that the screams were coming from the hall where most members of Bronte were gathered. Through the glass windows, Lena, Leon and Cynthia witnessed them heading towards Bronte. Huge dragons with their spiked and brutish wings were nearing the organization with their surge of Dragonesian armies. The dragons were evidently the monstrous forms of bloodthirsty Dragonesians, who were now ready to slaughter as many humans as they could.

Burning fire erupted out of some Dragonesians' noses, leading them to destroy Bronte, bit by bit.

A loud, blaring alarm went off. It was to warn everyone that Bronte was under attack, and they needed to either fight or protect themselves.

"Shouldn't we help others?" Leon asked, his voice wavering with nervousness and fear.

Before the two girls could respond, a cackling voice spoke to them. It was near and hidden beneath the darkness.

It was Lucian's voice.

The three turned their heads around to find Lucian's glowing and inhumane blue eyes. They could not recognize the old Lucian, almost. It was as if an evil entity had now morphed his face.

"Lucian?" Cynthia softly spoke, inching closer to the boy. Her warm eyes met with Lucian's cold ones. The girl slowly extended her hand to touch his cheek, however, she only winced in pain. Before Cynthia could touch Lucian, he had already steadied a tight grasp on her wrist and, easily, threw her away to the side.

Blood trickled down Cynthia's forehead due to the way her body crashed with a pillar.

"Are you out of your mind, Lucian—"

With one light push, which seemed anything but light to the others, Leon found himself in another corner, groaning while clutching his stomach in pain.

Lena, on the other hand, did not waste any more time before making a run. She regretted leaving her friends behind her, but she also knew that this Lucian, who was completely different from the boy she had grown up with, would chase her. Because, Lena was his prey right now.

A predator chases its prey, when they exhibit fear and make a run. It gives the predator satisfaction when within moments they are able to kill their prey off mercilessly and devour their flesh. Fear of the prey gives strength to the predator.

Lena easily displayed to Lucian that she was frightened. And then, she dashed away knowing, that even if she had to sacrifice her life today in order to save her friends, she would.

Lena panted heavily after she met a dead end. Almost immediately, a sudden force made her fall on the floor.

Groaning, when the girl opened her eyes, she found the unfamiliar pair of malicious orbs, staring down at her with mockery.

"I know your fear, Lena Marcuse," Lucian spoke into Lena's ears, his menacing cackle invading her ears momentarily.

To Lucian's surprise and disappointment, Lena smiled sweetly in response. "And that would be?"

"Death, of course," Lucian grinned, baring his teeth in the process, "Which I shall gladly grant you."

"Then do it." Teardrops plummeted down her eyes, as Lena uttered those painful words with a smile on her face. "Kill me Lucian."

Something inside Lucian twitched for a moment. His eyes spoke the truth yet his expression did not.

"Why are you hesitating?" Lena chuckled deeply, "You are still the Lucian I know. The Lucian who loves chicken nuggets. The Lucian who never left my side. The Lucian Haroise, my best friend."

"Stop it." Lena began to gasp for air as Lucian's fingers now grasped the girl's neck tightly. He tightened his grip and applied more pressure eventually. "I am 1103. I am not the Lucian Haroise you know."

"Liar!" A third voice screamed and within moments Lucian felt pain shooting up the back of his head. As a result, the boy clutched his head and turned his gaze away from Lena to find Cynthia letting go of a brick.

Lena took the opportunity and began crawling backwards, away from the aggressive male. But to her vain, his senses seemed to have suddenly intensified. And before anyone could comprehend what was happening, Lucian committed the unexpected.

Lucian stabbed Lena, right in her chest, with his gladius.

A gut-wrenching scream left Cynthia as she watched Lena coughing out blood.

"Run...Cynthia," Lena managed to utter out before falling onto the ground and breathing her last, forever.

Lena Marcuse was no more. The girl who feared death, learnt to embrace fear, and the girl who had the most desire to live in a beautiful future finally met death.

As for Lucian, who had thought that he was successful in taking them down, did not expect Cynthia's anger to take control of her emotions...belligerently.

"Please, what's happening?" Cynthia sobbed loudly as she now sat in front of a crouched Lucian, with his own gladius, inside his chest. And the wielder was none other than Cynthia Kiorsa, with her hand coated in blood.

She let go of the handle and stayed there in disbelief at the thought that she had just stabbed Lucian, the same way the boy had done to Lena.

When her senses returned, she staggered towards the boy and took her face into her palms.

"Lucian," Cynthia tapped on the boy's cheek, in hopes of waking him up.

Lucian did open his eyes. And when he did, the warm gaze of old Lucian was back. He smiled sweetly at Cynthia.

"Cynthia, you know I love you, right?"

"Yes I do," Cynthia's sobs turned to hysterical cries, "And that's why you need to live. I did not mean to stab you. It was as if, back there, it was not me—"

"I know," Lucian answered, caressing Cynthia's cheeks weakly with his bloodied hand, "I know it was not you because back there, it wasn't me either. We were being controlled.

I am not 1103."

"Then who is it?" Cynthia asked, desperate to know the answer.

"Leon Heirora." Cynthia could not believe her ears, hearing the name she had least expected to come out of Lucian's mouth. "Leon is 1103. He is the true dark horse. And under that innocent mask, there was a beast who was feeding his Dragonesian species with valuable information—"

Cynthia closed her eyes when blood splattered on her face. Once she opened it, there in her embrace was a dead Lucian, with a spear piercing through his body. Soon enough, Cynthia felt the pain too when the spear visibly grew in length and penetrated her flesh.

Choking out blood, she smiled in relief, falling over Lucian's deceased body. At least, she was dying with Lucian. At least, Cora was safe and secure.

And at least, Alana was still alive.

Before closing her eyes forever, she saw something glowing in the dark.

It was a pair of crimson eyes which belonged to a very familiar person, and he was watching them die, as if it was nothing.