Chapter 3: The Leader
1585 Words
-Hope-
It was cold in the room where I was being held, but at least I was mostly left alone. Food was brought to me occasionally, but I remained trapped. They hadn’t physically harmed me.
However, when I attempted to communicate, it earned me a slap, but otherwise, they avoided me. None of them engaged in conversation or said much. They were silent, yet I knew they were constantly observing their surroundings, ensuring nothing caught them off guard.
They kept me in what seemed like a typical room, albeit dirty and dusty, with no windows. Clearly, no one had inhabited it for some time, and it wasn’t a place they intended to settle in. They merely existed here for now, likely attempting to lure out Phoenix.
Oh, Goddess... Phoenix, I thought.
I could sense his intense rage, making it seem impossible to reach him. Our emotions could become overwhelming, hindering our ability to communicate, but I hoped he sensed, despite my fear, that I was unharmed.
Part of me, however, hoped he wouldn’t come. Nothing good could come of it. There were many of them here. I doubted this group comprised all The Dark Soldiers. There had to be more, and I couldn’t envision Phoenix taking them all on.
My mate was strong, but he was just one male. There were at least fifteen in the house, all lethal and ready to kill Phoenix.
“Don’t come,” I whispered as I sat on the floor.
The room had been mostly cleared out, leaving only a chair in the corner. I felt as though I were losing my sanity, even though I hadn’t been here long.
Keeping track of time was difficult in this dark, poorly lit room with only a single ceiling light. I prayed they would continue to avoid touching me. The thought of them coming near me disgusted me. Phoenix was the only male who had, and I wanted it to remain that way.
“Don’t come,” I repeated.
I didn’t want to see him dead. I couldn’t bear losing him all over again. It was too much, and I wouldn’t survive it. I needed him to stay alive so I could remain strong too.
“Oh, Goddess, just watch over him,” I said, gazing up at the ceiling. “I know you no longer heed my pleas because I have forsaken my duty and my sisters, but don’t punish my mate. Please, spare him. I love him. I love him more than words can express, and I can’t bear to lose him.”
I knew she wouldn’t respond, but I continued to pray nonetheless. It brought me a sense of solace, reminiscent of my time in The Hidden World.
I sometimes wondered about my sisters. Did they ever think of me or wonder what had become of me? I had always been different and curious about our world and our choices, but perhaps some of my sisters shared my curiosity, albeit better at concealing it.
“Please, don’t punish him,” I begged, just before I heard a click.
I glanced at the door a second before it swung open, and I quickly rose to my feet. I had assumed it was merely time for my meal, but an older male stood before me—someone I hadn’t seen before, and he carried no food.
His dark eyes locked onto mine, a cruel smile spreading across his lips. They all shared the same eyes as Phoenix. Dark, revealing the torment and suffering they had endured, but unlike Phoenix, who fought to reclaim his humanity, these people had lost it.
The older male slowly shut the door behind him. He had salt and pepper hair and had to be one of the largest males I’d ever encountered. Broad and tall. So tall that I had to tilt my head back just to meet his gaze as he approached.
“So, you’re the little female Phoenix has chosen?” the male remarked, his voice dark yet surprisingly smooth.
If you were to only hear his voice, you wouldn’t suspect a monster lurked beneath the surface. It was almost soothing.
“The Goddess paired us,” I responded.
“Ah, yes, I forgot. You’re a... chosen one,” he said, his accent unmistakable.
“Spiritual,” I corrected.
“Still chosen,” he said, a slight smile playing on his lips.
“And you are?”
“Right, where are my manners?” he asked, moving to retrieve the chair from the corner. He placed it in front of me, turning it around before sitting down, his arms resting on the back.
Even seated, we were at eye level. It was intimidating how imposing he was, and though he wore a shirt and normal pants, the fabric stretched over his large muscles, heightening his threatening appearance.
“I’m Seth,” he introduced himself. “Named after The God of chaos.”
“We only have one Goddess,” I pointed out.
“Yes, but you see, I was never a believer in her. Nor were my parents,” he revealed. “Of course, that wasn’t the name they gave me.”
“They didn’t name you Seth?”
He shook his head.
“No, I was named by the former leader of The Dark Soldiers,” he revealed.
“The former leader?”
“Yes, before I killed him, of course, and took on the position myself.”
I gasped and retreated, pressing myself against the wall.
“You’re the leader of this despicable organization?” I demanded.
He chuckled.
“I suppose it appears despicable in your eyes,” he remarked. “But we’ve also killed many despicable individuals. People who could have caused much more chaos.”
I shook my head, and he sighed.
“Allow me to impart a very important lesson I learned many years ago.”
I looked at him, fear evident in my gaze.
“Sometimes the world does not need a hero. Sometimes the world needs a villain,” he stated.
“What does that mean?” I whispered.
He offered a faint smile.
“Why don’t you contemplate it?” he suggested.
“You’re cruel and malevolent, and you’re aiding Connor.”
“Well, not anymore,” he corrected.
“What?”
“Connor has failed to deliver,” he informed me. “We sought Phoenix. Do you see your mate anywhere?”
Seth spread his arms, gesturing around him, and I slowly shook my head, even though he wasn’t truly seeking a response.
“No, and we don’t serve anyone who can’t deliver,” he declared. “And now I hear Connor has gone completely underground after killing his son.”
“What?! Chris is dead?”
Seth nodded. “It seems so. I hear the queen pursued Connor, and Chris saved her life. Unfortunately, he couldn’t save his own. What a shame. I detest the waste of a good alpha, or at least one with the potential to become one.”
“Sure, because an alpha in your eyes is only worth something when he has forsaken his humanity.”
“We must forsake it to become what we need to be. Do you believe this existence is easy?” he questioned.
“Then choose differently,” I retorted.
That elicited laughter from him, leaving me stunned. While the other Dark Soldiers remained mostly silent, this one seemed almost talkative and... normal. It was even more unsettling.
“Phoenix should have felt honored and not have acted like a coward. I’m simply bringing him home,” Seth stated as he rose slowly.
“You’re going to kill him.”
Seth narrowed his eyes, advancing towards me, causing me to press myself harder against the wall. He halted when only inches separated us, and my heart raced with fear.
“You have no comprehension of what Phoenix means to us. To me.”
“To you?” I stammered, my voice trembling.
“He was to be my successor,” Seth revealed.
“Successor?”
“The next leader. He possessed remarkable potential. He was like a son to me,” Seth explained.
I gazed at Seth, utterly shocked. I had no inkling of the significance Phoenix held within this organization, let alone that he was destined to lead it one day.
“And then he betrayed us.”
“He desired to live," I countered.
“He was destined for a greater purpose,” Seth insisted. “Now he will find his way back home. Thanks to you. However, I can’t permit you to live.”
“W-What?”
“I cannot allow Phoenix to be taken down by anything that might weaken him. That’s why we sever ties with our loved ones. So, we have no hindrances,” he clarified. “Now, you’ve become too significant to him, and so you must die.”
Tears welled in my eyes, but I refused to cry, staring back at Seth, prepared to meet my fate if this were to be the day. Seth merely smiled and took a step back.
“But not yet. I quite enjoy your presence here. You bring... light,” he remarked, chuckling softly. “I believe I’ll keep you around a bit longer.”
“You’re a monster.”
“As I said, sometimes the world requires a villain,” he remarked before turning and departing, leaving me alone.
“Don’t come,” I whispered once more.
- Writer
