GOD OF WAR WITH POWERS

Chapter 2

Ethan leaned back in his chair, his piercing gaze locked onto Alan. "Tell me everything about that night five years ago. Leave nothing out."

Alan shifted uncomfortably. "Sir, I don’t know if—"

"Alan," Ethan interrupted, his voice low but firm, "I need the truth. Start talking."

The room grew silent as Alan straightened his posture. "You were ambushed by another warlord’s faction. The attack was brutal; they wanted you gone for good. You barely made it out alive."

Ethan’s appraisal ability surged, automatically scanning every word. It was like peeling back layers of a hidden world—Alan’s pulse quickened, his breathing shallowed, and faint traces of guilt flickered in his energy.

"Who saved me?" Ethan pressed, his voice tight.

Alan hesitated, his eyes darting to the floor. "Not Maria, sir."

Ethan’s breath hitched, the weight of those words hitting him harder than any blow. "Then who?"

"Her sister," Alan admitted, his voice almost a whisper. "It was Maria’s second sister, Felicia."

The name hit Ethan like a thunderclap. Felicia? His mind scrambled to piece together the shattered fragments of memory.

Alan continued, his tone heavy. "Felicia found you bleeding out. She carried you to safety, stayed by your side, and tended to your wounds. But Maria’s grandfather… he intervened."

Ethan’s hands tightened into fists. "Intervened how?"

Alan swallowed hard. "He drugged you both. Created a situation that would bind Felicia to scandal while keeping Maria’s hands clean. You were told Maria saved you, but the truth was twisted. Felicia paid the price."

Ethan stood abruptly, pacing the room as anger rippled through him. Felicia… she had suffered because of me. Because of their lies.

"And Felicia?" Ethan’s voice was dangerously quiet. "What happened to her after?"

Alan’s hesitation was brief but telling. "She… had a child, sir."

The words slammed into Ethan like a tidal wave. "A child?"

"Yes," Alan said, looking pained. "The grandfather spread rumors to discredit her and used her shame to manipulate her. She’s been living under their control ever since."

Ethan’s mind raced. His healing power surged, memories sharpening as if guided by the ancient energy within him. Images of Felicia tending to him, her soft voice calming his panicked breaths, began to resurface. She was the one who saved me. Not Maria. Not the woman who claimed to love me.

His gaze snapped to Alan, his voice like steel. "Why didn’t you tell me this before?"

"I didn’t know all the details until recently, sir," Alan admitted. "The grandfather’s web of lies runs deep. But now that you’re back, I knew you’d uncover the truth."

Ethan stopped pacing, his eyes narrowing. "They manipulated me, stole five years of my life, and ruined Felicia’s. They will pay for this."

Alan nodded, though his unease was palpable. "There’s more, sir. The warlords are hosting a grand gathering soon. Maria’s family has been struggling to get an invitation. They’ve been pressuring Felicia to… sacrifice herself to secure their place."

Ethan’s appraisal ability flared, detecting the disgust and anger in Alan’s voice. He could sense the truth: Felicia was being used as a pawn again.

"They want her to sell herself for status," Ethan muttered, his jaw clenching. "Not on my watch."

Alan nodded. "If you attend that party, you could expose them. But you’d have to move carefully. They still have powerful allies."

Ethan smirked, a glint of dragon fire flashing in his eyes. "Carefully? No. This isn’t a game I intend to play by their rules. I’ll burn their entire empire to the ground if I have to."

Alan entered quietly, breaking Ethan’s reverie. "Sir, there’s something else."

Ethan turned, his expression unreadable. "Speak."

"I’ve secured access to records from that night. It confirms everything I told you—and more."

Ethan’s eyes narrowed. "What more?"

"The warlord who orchestrated your attack… he’s connected to Maria’s grandfather. It wasn’t just an assassination attempt. It was a plan to remove you and take control of your resources."

Ethan’s voice was cold. "So, they didn’t just lie to me. They tried to kill me."

"Yes, sir," Alan confirmed.

Ethan stood, his presence commanding. "Then it’s time to stop playing nice. Secure an invitation to that party for Felicia. She deserves to walk into that room with her head held high."

Alan hesitated. "And you, sir?"

Ethan’s smirk was dangerous. "I’ll be there. But not as the man they exiled. I’ll be there as the warlord they fear."

"Felicia saved my life, and they destroyed hers. While I wasted five years with Maria, the one who truly cared for me was suffering. This isn’t just betrayal—it’s war."