Lucian returned to the Scotch family cabin before dawn, his steps silent in the cold, still air. The forest behind him felt alive, like a twisted reflection of the path he’d just taken. His new arm pulsed with the abyssal energy of the Abyssal Regeneration, still raw and unsettling, but undeniably powerful.
He pushed the door open carefully, stepping inside. The Scotch family stirred in their sleep but remained unaware of his absence or the transformation he had undergone.
Lucian stood by the door for a moment, watching them. Rheya her face soft in peaceful slumber, the twin boys tangled in each other's arms, their mother and father lying close together. All of them, innocent, unaware of the darkness growing inside the boy they had taken in.
His lips curled into a faint smile, though it was more a show of control than genuine amusement. The time for pretense was drawing to a close.
Lucian moved quietly to his bed, pulling the covers over himself as if nothing had changed. His mind, however, was racing. The feeling of Vorlith's power still thrummed through his veins, a constant reminder of the new height he had reached.
He wasn't the same anymore.
And no one would ever know.
---
The next morning, the Scotch family went about their usual routine. Lucian, of course, acted like nothing had changed. He sat at the table with the family as if he'd been here all along, smiling politely when Ayleen asked if he wanted more breakfast.
No one suspected a thing.
As he ate, he focused inward, calling forth the system.
[Mission: Establish a Base of Shadows]
[Objective: Build the Core of Your Power]
Lucian’s crimson eyes flashed with delight. He’d already begun the first steps in his mind, weaving shadows around the clearing outside the cabin. The Abyssal Serpent was now a part of his army, a powerful spirit bound to him. But that was just the beginning.
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The system would guide him. But ultimately, it was his will that would shape this world.
---
Later that day, Lucian went out into the forest again. The Scotch family had gotten used to him disappearing into the woods now, and no one questioned it. They thought it was just his way of coping with the darkness he’d faced.
But Lucian was no longer the boy who had stumbled into their lives. He was becoming something far worse — a force that even the Holy Knights would soon fear.
He found a small hill near the clearing, his mind swirling with dark thoughts. There, he began drawing the initial formation for his Base of Shadows. The power surged from his new arm, feeding into the ground beneath him. The shadows took shape, coalescing into an eerie, intangible fortress. It was not visible to the eye — not yet — but it was there, lurking just beneath the surface, awaiting its time to rise.
[Base Construction: Phase 1]
---
Later, as evening settled in, the air grew thick with tension. Lucian knew he wasn’t alone. He could feel them — the Holy Knights, still watching. He smiled to himself.
Captain Garron Veylor, still under Lucian’s control through the Dark Fang parasite, had led them here. They were close, but they hadn't made their move yet.
Lucian made his way back to the cabin, walking casually through the trees. Rheya greeted him as he returned, as always. She smiled warmly, but Lucian could see the flicker of doubt in her eyes, the growing unease about the boy who wasn’t really a boy anymore.
---
That night, Lucian lay in bed, his new arm resting at his side. He couldn't sleep. The shadows outside the cabin beckoned him.
The door creaked open, and the Scotch family’s father, Alden, stepped in quietly.
“Lucian…” he said, his voice low.
Lucian opened his eyes, staring coolly at him. “What is it? Calden hesitated, but the words spilled out. “There are rumors... about the Holy Knights. They’re looking for a dark mage, a boy with unnatural powers. They might come again.”
Lucian’s lips curved into a smile. “Then let them come.”
Alden’s face twisted in confusion, but he said no more. He simply nodded and left the room.
---
As Lucian lay there, waiting for the night to pass, the system’s voice came again, cold and mechanical.
[New Mission Available]
[Objective: Eliminate the Holy Knights' Threat.]
Lucian smirked. This was becoming interesting.
He would deal with them soon, but first, he needed to complete his preparations. He had plans — ambitions far greater than they could comprehend.
And as he felt the power building within him, he knew it was only a matter of time before this quiet little family, these simple people, became a part of his grand design.
For now, he waited.
[Base Construction: Phase 2]
The foundation of his empire was rising in the shadows.
