RISE OF AN ORIGINAL

HUNTS FOR SECRETS

Roger eventually regained consciousness but found himself in an unknown, dimly lit place. Panic overcame him when he realised his limbs were immobilised, chained to hooks on his sides, leaving him hung in the air.

He struggled to break free from the unyielding chains, but they had a firm grip on him. Footsteps approached him, and he raised his gaze to see Adrian and Lucas approaching.

"Why have you brought me here, Adrian?" Roger inquired, his voice tinted with rage.

Adrian stood, his attention locked on him. "To find out who told Rylan that I was back in town, if you value your life, you'll better start talking."

Roger smiled awkwardly and tensely. "So, even if I were the one who told Rylan, do you think you could kill me?"

There was an eerie silence before Adrian's punch landed on Roger's stomach, causing a pained groan. "Don't underestimate me," he growled as his nostrils flared. "You have survived death sometimes only because you revealed a secret to the person in exchange for your life, but that won't save you from my wrath."

Adrian compelled Roger to meet his furious gaze by grabbing a mouthful of his hair. "You've only lived all these years because I spared you back then. I should have killed you along with her. I believe you are ungrateful."

Roger's clamped teeth made it difficult for words to emerge. "I will never be grateful that you spared my life; you made a grave error in allowing me to live. I've spent my entire life planning my vengeance, so do you think I'd enjoy seeing you fall into the hands of someone else? I'd make sure that I'm the one who kills you with my hands and gets stained with your blood."

His chuckle was full of irony. "It's clear you harbour resentment over Sarah's death. You should've stopped her. Hybrids like me are no different from any other supernatural being. I spared you, so you'd bear the weight of her death for the rest of your life."

Roger couldn't take it any longer, as he began to berate him. "Shut the hell up!" he yelled. “You're nothing more than a monster!" He spat on Adrian's face as a final act of defiance.

He was given a handkerchief by Lucas to clean his face. Adrian said.  "I'll overlook your insolence this time because of your anger, but don't test your fate again; it won't end well."

Roger riveted his gaze on him. "You know, I've been thinking about something lately. What if all those times you saved me from death weren't to make me feel the weight of her death but rather to seek my forgiveness? Remember, Adrian: I'll never forgive you, and I'll come for you."

Adrian busted out, laughing awkwardly. "Do you think I seek your forgiveness?" Certainly not. I don’t need it. Why don't you consider allowing me to use my power to assist you in moving on from the past, where I killed your vampire girlfriend, Sarah? But I have no intention of doing so for you, though."

Roger smiled in an unsatisfied manner. "I never intended to seek your help either. But remember, when the right time comes, you'll be the one begging for mercy, and I won't be willing to listen."

“Okay, enough of the talks; let’s get back to business. Get the rod. Lucas,” Adrian said.

Lucas stepped forward with the rod in his hand. "What should I do to him?"

Adrian contemplated for a moment before saying, "Hit him until he talks."

Roger's eyes widened in fear. "Come on, Adrian, don't be cruel. I'll tell you everything; please don't hurt me."

Adrian and Lucas exchanged glances, pleased with his readiness to confess. "Go on, talk; let’s hear you," Lucas instructed.

Roger gathered his thoughts. "Rylan learned of your return to the city even before you arrived. At first, I dismissed it as a falsehood, but then I received the message you sent, leaving me with no doubt about your presence. It made me question who in the city could have informed Rylan without my prior knowledge."

Adrian's attention sharpened, and he interrupted him. "What? Don't lie to me, Roger, or you'll regret it."

"I swear I’m not lying," Roger pleaded. "I don't know how Rylan found out."

Adrian ran his hand through his hair. “Did you look into how he found out?”

Roger shakes his head. “I did look into it, but I found nothing."

Adrian remained silent, staring intently at Roger. After a moment, he decided, "Set him free."

Lucas appeared hesitant. "Are you really going to take his word for it so easily? What if he's just making it all up, Adrian? I find it hard to believe him."

Adrian shook his head. "I don't trust him either; whether it's a lie or the truth, it doesn't matter right now. What matters is that I survived Rylan's attack. For the moment, let's focus on finding the witch; that's our top priority. Rylan discovered my return earlier than expected, so we need to locate the witch before they all start coming for me."

Lucas nodded in understanding and proceeded to remove the chains from Roger's limbs. As Adrian walked away, the tension in the room seemed to ease.

Lucas joined Adrian on the balcony and sat down next to him. “What do you plan on doing next?”

Adrian slipped his whisky. “I’m going to the phoenix feather."

Lucas's attention sharpened. “You mean the same rare phoenix feather, which nobody has ever succeeded in finding?”

“Yes, but I guess someone would succeed this time around,” Adrian responded and laughed.

"Roger likely intends to use you to locate the phoenix feather, possibly for one of his clients, given your desperation to find the witch," suggested Lucas. "We should think about another approach. This strategy will most likely fail. We may start by looking into the city's powerful witches; this could take us to her or provide a clue."

Adrian locked his gaze on Lucas and smiled. “I don’t care about what he plans to do with the phoenix feather, and do you think it would be that easy checking the witch’s ourselves when they would all probably want to kill me? I understand your concern, but trust me, this will go well."

"Despite our unresolved past issues, we honour our deals once they're made," he added.

Lucas settled into his chair and

took a sip of his

whisky,

seeking

temporary solace for his racing thoughts. The complexities of their situation weighed heavily on him, and he remembered a question that had lingered in his mind.

"Adrian," he began, his voice tinged with curiosity. "Did you know the lady who informed me of your whereabouts after you escaped from the hunters? Ever wondered who she is?

Adrian's gaze shifted to him, the memory of the mysterious witch surfacing in his mind. Her enigmatic presence had left an indelible mark, and he couldn't help but wonder how their paths would cross again in the future.