President, visibly confused, spoke."I thought you'd be a lot more concerned that Liam got taken. Instead, you did nothing. You waited for me to come to you about something that affected you directly?"
She sat there, lazily picking at her fingernails."Mmm."
Her guards were visibly offended, but none moved without permission. Liam was seen as almost a god, a prophecy, the perfect genetic anomaly Lilith had spent a lifetime grooming. And he was stolen, right under their noses, by one man.
The President's voice lowered, quiet but razor sharp."Isn't he your greatest creation?"
Lilith lounged arrogantly on her throne, waving her fingers dismissively."Oh, stop. Liam is my little princess. He's broken in all the right places. He'll come back to me. He always does."
A smug smile curled on her lips."I made sure of that… when I raised him."
The President paused, then spoke again."But regardless, with Mr. N stealing that monster, we need a monster of our own."
Lilith rolled her eyes."Again? Don't you have your ten little Elite Guard—"
Tssk.
Before she could finish, a blur cut through the chamber.
A sharp gust swept past her guards. They didn't even blink before it was over.
V stood in front of the throne, one arm gripping Lilith's throat, lifting her halfway off the ground. Her eyes widened, caught between fury and fear.
Her guards reached for their weapons.
Too late.
Vercingetorix, still silent, tightened his grip just enough to remind her she was mortal.
His voice came low, controlled, venom-laced."Give us your best warrior. Stop playing games, you disgusting, perverted creature."
The guards froze. The tension in the room snapped tight. They couldn't risk striking their own queen.
Lilith coughed, struggling for air, mascara smearing as her composure cracked.
The President watched, mildly disappointed, rubbing his forehead.Even prodigies are idiots…
Lilith forced out a breath, smiling through it."You… are… adorable…"
She made a slow, deliberate hand sign. Shadows curled toward her fingers like smoke.
Almost instantly, darkness crawled up V's spine, digging into him like rusted nails, sending a violent, unnatural pain through his body.
His legs buckled.
Before he could fall, the President was already behind him, pulling him back."Don't bite off more than you can chew, son. You're only like 18, aren't you? Don't rush to die."
V snapped back."You underestimate my power."
His pupils turned red as he stared at Lilith, imagining her as something he could break.
Lilith felt it and whistled softly, amused.
The President stopped him again, placing a hand in front of him."Your power doesn't matter to someone who doesn't fight by your rules. No matter how strong you are, you can't punch the sun. Remember that."
Lilith turned her gaze toward him, eyes glinting."After you win your little presidency battle, give him to me for thirty minutes."
She tossed a small silver key towards him, she smiled gently.
"That's the key to Rafael's chains. My concubine son. His name will be listed above his cage, Teenager red hair like mine. Cute boy, take him with you. He's not Liam but he will serve you well."
Her tone shifted lazily as she yawned." President, thank you for understanding. I'm sorry if I was a little mean. You know I can be dramatic. I don't get visitors often and when I do, like Mr. N they sneak around and leave without saying a word."
She shrugged "So, I had to entertain myself a little. I was already planning on giving you Raf for your Presidency Battle.
The President looked annoyed, but hid it, catching the key with one hand and giving a slight bow."It's okay, Lil. I understand."
Lilith shook her fingers, uncaring. "Give him your Number 7, or whatever you had open."
Vercingerot's eyes snapped as he looked at the President. "Thomas Wednesday is getting Rank 7."
The President whispered, "Are you sure? He doesn't even want it. I was thinking of promoting Rocks and just leaving him out of the lineup."
Vercingerot, dead serious, told the President, "Wednesday is my equal. He deserves no rank less than 7."
The President shivered in excitement. "Are you certain? I'm unawar—"
Vercingerot cut him off. "We went to school together, On my life he is."
The President thought, 'Okay then, we make Rafael number 10 and we have a complete lineup.'
As they left the throne room, the golden doors shut behind them, cutting off her voice mid-sentence.
They walked in silence through the dim corridors.
As they passed the forbidden garden, once more, V muttered quietly, "I'm very disappointed in you, sir."
The President didn't look back."Trust me, kid. You haven't seen disappointing yet. Wait until we visit Eastern Europe."
Five minutes passed as they approached the compound Rafael was supposed to be located.
It was a gold mine of human trafficking.
It was the A Grade Human Meat Mart.
V stopped.
Without turning, he spoke flatly."I won't go in there."
The President paused.
He didn't ask why.
He simply nodded and entered alone.
Behind him, V stood still, unmoving, as faint, muffled cries echoed from inside.
Back in the throne room, Lilith adjusted her robes and rubbed her bruised throat.
Her guards finally spoke.
"Are you really going to give up Rafael?"
Another leaned forward."He's your only concubine child with strong blood. If they figure out what he is—"
Lilith laughed softly."It's fine. I'm playing the long game. Raph isn't that strong anyway. His ceiling is low. His body was ruined from a young age."
She leaned back into her throne, calm and dangerous. "Let them believe they're ahead. Let them believe they've made progress."
One guard frowned. "But it's only two of them. If we attack now, we could capture them, torture them, force a better deal—"
Lilith raised a finger.
Her pupils shrank. Her nails glowed violet as life force pulsed outward.
Reality pulled back.
Her vision soared above the island, cutting through distance and fog.
Until—
"There," she whispered.
Standing on a distant cliff, wrapped in an invisible cloak that shifted unnaturally in still air, was a presence.
The President's Elite Guard Rank 4.
Letter "G."
Ghost.
He wasn't moving.
He was waiting.
He felt it.
His cloak shifted.
A single red eye stared directly back at the sky.
At her.
Lilith's eyes twitched as she snapped out of it, jolting in her seat.
That one is strong… the same force as when Mr. N stepped into my Island. Wow.
If this was the level of the President's forces—
Then Liam's side doesnt stand a chance...
I may have sent my son to his death...
~oh well, ill just make another one.