The Order

Chapter 10: The Order

The storm still raged over the city.

Thunder rolled across the dark sky as rain poured down on the ruined street. Broken cars and shattered pavement were scattered everywhere, silent evidence of the battle that had taken place only minutes ago.

But the monsters had stopped moving.

The Reapers stood across the street like statues, their empty black eyes fixed on Ethan.

They weren’t attacking.

They weren’t leaving.

They were simply… waiting.

Ethan rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“I really don’t like the way they’re staring at me.”

Lucian folded his arms casually.

“That’s because they’re not staring at you.”

Ethan frowned.

“They’re literally looking right at me.”

Lucian shook his head.

“No.”

His golden eyes narrowed slightly.

“They’re watching what’s inside you.”

Ethan didn’t like the sound of that.

Raven suddenly grabbed Ethan’s arm.

“We have to go. Now.”

Ethan blinked.

“What about them?”

He nodded toward the Reapers.

Raven’s voice was firm.

“They’re not attacking yet, which means we still have time.”

Lucian glanced up at the dark skyline again.

“Not much time.”

Ethan sighed.

“Okay… so where exactly are we going?”

Raven hesitated for a moment.

Then she said the words clearly.

“To the Order.”

Lucian smiled slightly.

“Oh, this should be fun.”

---

The Journey

Twenty minutes later, they were speeding through the empty streets of the city in a black armored vehicle Raven had called from somewhere.

The rain pounded against the windshield as the car raced toward the outskirts of Brookhaven.

Ethan sat quietly in the back seat.

His mind was spinning.

Monsters.

Ancient bloodlines.

Alpha Kings.

Reapers.

None of it felt real.

He looked down at his hands.

The same hands that had just commanded creatures capable of destroying armies.

“Are you okay?” Raven asked.

Ethan let out a small laugh.

“I think I passed ‘okay’ about three hours ago.”

Lucian chuckled from the passenger seat.

“Fair point.”

Ethan leaned his head back.

“So this Order place…”

Raven nodded.

“It’s a hidden sanctuary.”

“For what exactly?”

“For people who know the truth about this world.”

Lucian added casually,

“And for people who fight the monsters hiding in it.”

Ethan looked out the window.

“I thought monsters were hiding from humans.”

Lucian smiled faintly.

“They used to.”

---

The Hidden Gate

The vehicle eventually left the city and entered a long forest road.

Tall trees surrounded them, their branches shaking in the storm.

After several minutes, the driver slowed down.

Ethan frowned.

“Why are we stopping in the middle of nowhere?”

Raven pointed ahead.

“Because we’re here.”

Ethan looked forward.

At first he saw nothing.

Just trees and darkness.

Then Raven stepped out of the vehicle.

She walked toward a large stone wall hidden between the trees.

Ethan followed her.

“Wait… this is just a cliff.”

Raven placed her hand against the stone.

A small glowing symbol appeared beneath her palm.

The ground trembled slightly.

Then something incredible happened.

The stone wall slowly split open.

Massive metal doors appeared from within the rock.

Ethan’s eyes widened.

“No way.”

Lucian grinned.

“Welcome to the Order.”

The doors opened completely.

Behind them was a massive underground tunnel filled with bright lights.

Vehicles moved in and out of the entrance.

Armed guards stood at checkpoints.

Ethan stared in disbelief.

“You’ve got an entire secret base under a mountain?”

Lucian nodded.

“Humans are surprisingly good at hiding things.”

---

Inside the Sanctuary

The vehicle drove into the tunnel.

As they entered deeper inside the mountain, Ethan noticed dozens of people walking through the corridors.

Some wore armor.

Others carried strange weapons.

Large screens displayed maps and information about supernatural activity across the world.

Ethan slowly realized something.

“These people…”

Raven nodded.

“They all know about the creatures.”

Lucian added casually,

“And most of them have fought them.”

The vehicle finally stopped in a large underground chamber.

Raven stepped out.

“We need to report immediately.”

Ethan followed her.

But as soon as he stepped out of the car—

Every guard in the room suddenly turned toward him.

Their weapons lifted instantly.

Dozens of guns pointed directly at Ethan.

Ethan froze.

“Uh… Raven?”

The guards looked terrified.

One of them shouted,

“That’s him!”

Another guard yelled,

“The Alpha King!”

Raven immediately stepped forward.

“Stand down!”

But the guards didn’t lower their weapons.

Lucian leaned against the car with a small smile.

“Oh dear.”

Heavy footsteps echoed through the chamber.

The guards quickly moved aside.

Someone important was approaching.

Ethan watched as a tall older man walked into the room.

He wore a long dark coat with silver markings on the shoulders.

His presence alone made the entire room silent.

The man stopped a few meters away from Ethan.

His sharp eyes studied him carefully.

Then he spoke calmly.

“So.”

His voice echoed across the chamber.

“You’re the one who woke the monsters.”

Ethan swallowed.

“I’m starting to think that might not have been a good thing.”

The man ignored the joke.

Instead, he turned toward Raven.

“You were sent to observe him.”

Raven stood straight.

“Yes, Commander.”

The man’s eyes returned to Ethan.

“And yet you brought him here.”

Raven hesitated.

“He had no other safe place to go.”

The commander studied Ethan again.

Then he said something that made the entire room go silent.

“Unfortunately…”

His voice was cold now.

“Neither does he.”

Ethan frowned.

“What does that mean?”

The commander raised his hand slightly.

The guards tightened their grip on their weapons.

Lucian’s smile slowly faded.

The commander’s voice echoed again.

“Ethan Cole…”

He looked directly into Ethan’s eyes.

“You are the greatest threat humanity has faced in five hundred years.” 

From the look of things and what just happened here, the world at large don't need to see you or have anything to do with you. 

For the years in which you did not show up, the world have seen and tested and enjoyed peace. 

So right now, we don't need to have u here. 

Ethan felt his stomach drop.

“So what happens now?” he asked.

The commander answered without hesitation.

“We decide whether you live…”

The guards cocked their weapons. Ready for action, what for a command for their commander. 

“…or die.”