The sun bled out behind the walls, turning the capital’s towers into black teeth against the sky. Down in the barracks, Kael slammed a fist into a table, splintering wood.

  “Filthy peasants—pelting me with rocks?” He kicked a stool into the wall.

  “I’ll grind every last one under my boot.” Night swallowed the light.

  Meanwhile

  High on the mountain spine above the city, Leo stood like a blade stuck in the wind. White hair whipped around his face. Violet eyes burned holes in the glowing lie below. Lili stepped from the mist.

  “Ready?” Lyra slipped her hand into his.

  “Time to get our family back.”

  Leo didn’t answer. Just stared at the city like it owed him blood.

  Hide all you want. Because I am coming.

  He raised a hand. Violet runes flared.

  Flash.

  They landed outside the gates—massive stone slabs lit by torches.

  Lyra blinked. “Why not inside?”

  Leo’s voice was flat. “We’re not sneaking. We’re arriving.” Guards crossed halberds.

  “Four thousand gold. King’s orders. Pay, leave or die.”

  Leo’s knuckles cracked. Lili sashayed forward, smile sharp as glass.

  “Oh boys, you look tense. All that armor must be so heavy…”

  Two minutes later the guards were red-faced, halberds forgotten.

  “G-go on through!” Lili spun back, hair flip on point. “Beauty: still undefeated.”

  Leo snorted. “Show-off.”

  Inside, the city glittered—left side anyway. Silk robes, champagne laughs, fountains burbling like nothing was wrong.

  Right side: shacks, hollow eyes, kids with no shoes pretending to smile.

  Leo’s telekinesis brushed minds like fingers on piano keys.

  “Smile or die.”

  “Keep the lie pretty.”

  “Newcomers coming—sell the dream.”

  His eyes glowed under the lanterns. Lili’s grin vanished.

  “Rot wearing perfume.” Lyra squeezed his hand, sensing the storm.

  Leo’s voice was cold. “Let’s break the mask.” They walked deeper into the so call beautiful street.

  Leo’s boots crunched on broken glass as they cut deeper into the city’s guts.

  Left side: perfume, silk, laughter.

  Right side: sweat, rot, silence.

  Two worlds stapled together with lies.

  He stopped at a sagging weapons stall. Rusted swords hung like dead fish. “Small blade?”

  he asked the jittery shopkeeper. “Ten gold.”

  Leo lifted the dull thing. “For this?” The man’s hands shook.

  “Prices… prices are high, sir.”

  Lyra stepped up. “Why’s one side a palace and the other a dump?”

  The shopkeeper’s smile cracked. “N-no idea, miss. Always been like that.”

  Leo’s eyes flicked to the man’s thoughts—smile or die—then away.

  He set the sword down. “Keep the change.”

  They melted into the poor district’s shadows.

  Lili’s nose wrinkled. “Smells like despair and bad decisions.”

  A scream—thin, cut off.

  Leo bolted. Lyra and Lili on his heels.

  Alley. Three drunk guards circling a barefoot kid, twelve maybe.

  Leo’s hand found his hilt.

  “Back. Off.” Guards turned, leering. “Fresh meat—”

  Thwip.

  Arrow punched through two throats, pinned them to brick like bugs.

  Third guard spun. “Who—”

  Shnk.

  Knife in the forehead. Dropped.

  Leo blinked. “Not me.”

  Lyra scanned rooftops. “Not us.”

  He knelt, draped his cloak over the girl.

  “Hey. You're safe now.”

  She clung to him, shaking.

  They walked her home—mud hut, flickering lamp.

  Parents cried, hugged, bowed. In the next alley, Leo stopped under a sagging roof.

  “Come out. Or I start swinging.”

  Lili smirked. “My boy’s all grown up and scary.”

  “Shut it.”

  Two figures dropped from the dark.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Girl with a bow, eyes like winter. Silver-haired demi-human, knife still dripping. Sara. Zack.

  They stared. Air thick enough to choke on. Nobody blinked.

  Zack folded his arms. “Not bad. Most folks don’t clock us till the knife’s at their throat.”

  Sara’s eyes flicked to the alley exit.

  “You’re fresh meat. City’ll chew you up. Walk away.”

  Lili’s grin was all teeth. “Cute. But why the tail?”

  Zack didn’t blink. “Making sure the kid got home safe. Too many vanish around here.”

  Leo stepped forward. “Names?”

  Sara snorted. “None of your business.”

  “Because,” Leo said, “you feel… wrong. Strong. Hiding it.”

  Zack’s jaw tightened. “Capital Rebellion. Happy?”

  Leo nodded. “Kael could solo your whole crew.”

  Sara bristled. “We know. Don’t need a weak tourist rubbing it in—”

  Lili snrk’d. Leo lost it, wheezing. Even Lyra hid a giggle behind her hand.

  Zack’s face went red. “What’s so damn funny?”

  Leo wiped his eye. “You called us weak.”

  Poof.

  He was gone.

  Zack spun. “Where—?!”

  Sara nocked an arrow. “Trap!”

  Leo’s voice drifted from behind them, lazy. “Boo.”

  They whirled. He leaned against brick, hands in pockets.

  Sara’s bow shook. “Capital spies—”

  Leo’s boot cracked the ground like a gunshot.

  Air got heavy. Zack charged—fists, knees, spins.

  Sara loosed flaming arrows.

  Crunch.

  Arrows shattered mid-air.

  Zack’s punches met empty space.

  Leo tapped his neck—

  thump.

  Zack folded. Leo caught him, lowered him gentle. “Good night.”

  Sara dropped, bow clattering. 'He’s gonna kill me.'

  Leo crouched. “Hey. Breathe. I’m not the bad guy.”

  She stared. “How’d you—my head—”

  “Telekinesis lite.”

  He grinned. “Senses off?”

  Sara swallowed. “You’re a user. Not a learner.”

  Leo shrugged. “Trade secret.”

  Lili offered a hand. “Team Capital Rebellion? We’re hiring.” Sara eyed unconscious Zack, then the trio goes toward the rebels base and Sara was leading them as she can't do a thing right now and Zack was felt unconscious but he was levitating shoe as Leo was using his magic to control his body in midair after few mintues travelling through alleys and houses they finally reach at the base.

  “Base. Don’t make me regret this.” Leo said.

  Rebel hideout—underground, damp, candlelite everything was fine until suddenly the door was opened.

  Balzock scratched his beard. “Intentions?”

  Leo’s voice flatlined. “I want Kael dead. And Every noble who helps him should also be dead. They burned my village. Killed my parents. Took my sister.”

  Balzock’s eyes widened. “Are you Caden Vallis’s boy by any chance?”

  Leo nodded and said " Yeah I am his son came for revenge we both have same enemies right ?"

  Balzock nodded slow. “There's a execution of some people in seven days. Kael would also be there. That's when we attack on him and free those innocent prisoners, cut the head off of that damn hero.”

  Leo raised a hand. “I'll go alone in castle. I have some business there. They got my sister. Maybe Lyra’s mom I don't want that they use them and tries to stop us.”

  Lyra’s voice cracked. “I’m coming—” Leo took her hands. “I swear. I’ll bring her back but there's no need you to come it will cause you trouble and our plan would probably be weaken.”

  She searched his eyes, nodded. Tear slipped. “Promise.”

  “Promise.” Lili tweaked the map, sliding mage tokens like chess pieces.

  Backup here, healers there—”

  People around them " He seems strategic"

  "Well yeah after all he's son of Caden."

  Leo tuned out, staring at candle flame.

  "Lia. Hang on there." Footsteps echoed in the dark—soft, coming closer.