"HERE! This time it will work," Lucien said.
He scooped Lily into his arms, crouched slightly, then dashed at full speed, shattering the curtain of illusion, taking the blow on his back.
Breaking through, a horrifying smell of blood struck his nose, and only Lucien felt an unimaginably massive thirst to kill.
"Lily, be careful. Stand behind my back," he said, stepping forward.
The giant was about to commit yet another murder. He was holding a girl in his right hand, and with his left, he had already raised his swing to decapitate her…
But at the final moment, Lucien tore her from his grip and struck the giant's head with his leg.
Bouncing back together with the girl, Lucien muttered for her to stay beside Lily.
When the giant turned, his face was completely empty — no nose, no eyes, no mouth, nothing at all, only pale skin.
"YOU'RE GETTING IN MY WAY!" he screamed.
"Whoa, big guy… how can you talk without a mouth? What kind of tricks are these?" Lucien smiled.
Lily ran toward the girl and hugged her.
"Don't be afraid. Everything will be fine. That guy will save us," she said, pointing at Lucien.
"Uh-huh," the girl answered, holding back her tears.
Lucien's gaze was fully locked on the giant.
Blink — the giant vanished, appearing right in front of Lucien.
Swing from above with two scythes.
Missed. Lucien managed to dodge.
The blow was so strong it easily carved through the stone beneath his feet, like a knife slicing butter.
"DON'T GET IN MY WAY!" the giant snarled.
He lunged again at Lucien, striking again and again — most of them Lucien successfully evaded, but the last hit reached the target. It sent him flying into a nearby bench.
"Bastard… That hurt," he whispered.
Lucien got up fast, hurling four spheres of hellish flame at the giant, but the giant sliced them in half.
His physical strength is comparable to Michael's… though no, he's not close to that level. I have to use all of my power, flashed in Lucien's head.
His arms and legs ignited in flame; in one of his hands, a burning two-meter spear appeared.
He threw it — so fast the movement couldn't even be seen.
Only the spear protruding from the giant's chest could be seen, pinning him to the wall.
The space around them began to crack and slowly collapse, emitting fractures.
Something fell from the giant's hand — a necklace with a purple stone.
Lucien noticed it and walked toward it. He bent down, barely a fingertip away from touching the necklace, but suddenly — next to him he felt someone else's presence.
He raised his head.
Before him stood Abizar himself, wagging his index finger.
"No, no, no. You can't take what belongs to us."
Lucien's spear was ripped out of the giant's chest and returned to Lucien's hand.
Lucien struck again—
Missed.
Yet Abizar was already standing behind him.
"Too slow. I hope that wasn't your full power," he said, and vanished.
In that moment, Lucien's eyes widened.
So fast… I didn't even manage to understand anything. Wait… why is it getting dark in my eyes?
The next second, Lucien dropped to the ground — from his back stuck a piece of black metal.
"LUCIEN!" Lily screamed.
[Jack's Flashback]
"Where am I? Why is it so dark here?" Jack mumbled.
Far away, a tiny beam of light broke through. Squinting, Jack heard a voice:
"Dad, dad, why is that uncle so gloomy? Does he have no friends?" the girl asked the man with her.
"In truth, though he looks gloomy, in his heart he's a very kind man. I don't know why, but I feel it," the man replied.
Then the woman interrupted them:
"Lloyd, hurry up, I need your help."
"Coming, Laurie," he answered.
Sora spent the whole day playing with the children who came to see her giant-father…
Namely: Lloyd.
Laurie and Lloyd spent the rest of the day trading.
Finally, when the sun sank below the horizon, they packed up and headed home.
On the way, Sora said:
"Dad, that gloomy uncle… I'll become his friend so he smiles more often."
Lloyd laughed.
"Sora… sweet sun of mine, that uncle probably has lots of work."
"We're home," Laurie said, opening the door.
The house was small: three tiny rooms. The front door led directly to a modest living room.
Though they were traders, they didn't have much money.
They stepped inside.
Lloyd walked to light the candle — but the candle ignited on its own.
In the middle of the room stood a man in a top hat, with a smile stretched to his ears.
"Hi-hi… came… Hi-hi…"
"Dad…" the girl didn't finish.
She fell to the floor from a blow.
"Bastard, I'll destroy you!" Lloyd screamed.
But that demon was incredibly powerful and unbelievably fast.
He kicked Lloyd — Lloyd crashed into a wardrobe filled with Laurie's book collection.
He raised his head and saw the demon gleefully snap Laurie's neck — she died without a sound.
Lloyd tried to stand — and fell from cracked ribs.
That demon tore Sora apart…
Her daughter.
And giggled through the whole process.
This was the man that Laurie, Lloyd and Sora saw.
Abizar.
This must be a horrible dream, flashed through Jack's mind before turning into a demon himself.
Sora and Laurie appeared in an explosion of light, running at Lloyd—
But he was too far away.
"Sora… sweet sun of mine," Lloyd whispered through his tears, "you can't hug your dad. I've done too many bad things. Laurie, please… forgive me. I couldn't protect you," Lloyd said.
Sora kept screaming:
"Laurie, take care of our daughter. Remember… I love you more than anything."
Laurie answered only with a muffled "uh-huh" and soothed Sora until she left.
"Then this is my end," Lloyd said.
Laurie vanished.
Now Lily and Michael also stood farther from Lucien.
Jack began to sob.
But the police came in that moment, when those demons finally died:
Valtorius, Syntarion and Abizar… or no, he might be mistaken.
Some were laughing as if calling him from the other side.
Abizaar's fateful shift inspired Lloyd's fateful yell.
"And now go! GO, I SAID!" Lloyd shouted.
His physical body began to turn to ash, cracking apart together with his false space.
Jack — or the Ripper — died that day at 13:10.
Lloyd died at 13:16.
Laurie, instantly killed that demon himself, before the flash ended.
But the flashback finally ended itself.
The soul of Lloyd Thorn was sinking into an infinite, dark void.
Jack's body — and his false space — were blown away by a soft breeze.
[Inn, Hackney District]
Through the darkness, muffled voices began to pierce through.
Lucien opened his eyes.
Next to him sat Lily and Michael.
"What are you doing?" Lucien asked.
"Ohhh, our sleeping beauty is awake," Michael said, rubbing his hands. "Remember you said you won't die until you reach your goal? Well… consider I pulled you out," Michael laughed.
"Thank God you're alive, Lucien…" Lily said, hugging him.
Lucien winced:
"You'll finish me off like this…"
"Sorry, sorry…" Lily jumped back.
Michael rose from his seat, rested his giant hand on Lucien's shoulder, and politely asked Lily to leave them alone.
Once the corridor door shut behind her, Michael turned, back to Lucien, and said:
"We have serious problems. Grey is back."
Thank you for reading the chapter. I'll be glad for every comment and will gladly answer your questions. You can learn more on the Discord server. I'm really looking forward to seeing each of you there.