".. That is..."
Riven's father's voice dropped to a whisper.
".. Those weren't normal loan sharks."
Riven's expression froze.
"What do you mean..? "
A heavy silence filled the air.
His father looked away for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully.
".. They come with a purpose."
Riven clenched his fists.
"A purpose? For what!? We don't even have anything!"
His father's eyes slowly turned to him.
".. They weren't looking for something."
A pause
".. They were looking at someone."
Riven's heartbeat skipped.
".. Me?"
His afther didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he sighed.
".. One of those you got troubled with."
"The bullies who told you that"..?
".. His family". His father continued, "is connected to a powerful organization."
Riven swallowed hard.
".. What organization?"
His father's voice turned cold.
" Tartan Enterprise."
The name alone felt heavy.
It is one of the biggest loan shark organization in the country.
Riven's grip tightened.
" so they destroyed our house because of me?"
No answer.
But his father's silence said everything.
Anger
Guilt
Confusion
Everything mixed together inside him.
" i will go talk to them - -"
" you won't."
His father's voice cut through him sharply.
Riven froze.
" They are not people you can stand against right now. "
"..Right now?"
Riven looked up.
"what do you mean right now"?
His father stared af him- serious, almost worried.
".. Riven."
".. What happend today at school?"
Riven hesitated.
"I.. Don't know."
Images flashed in his mind.
Fear.
Screams.
The bulies running..
His own hands trembling.
".. They said i used something."
His father's eyes narrowed.
".. Fear Factor?"
Riven slowly nodded.
Silence
A long heavy silence
Then-
" That's impossible. "
Riven blinked
".. What?"
His father stepped closer.
"Fear Factor.. is not something a child can use."
".. Why?"
"Because it requires a fully developed mind control over fear."
A pause.
".. No one can use it before the age of eighteen" .
Riven's mind went blank.
". . But i did".
His voice came out weak.
".. Right.?"
His father didn't answer.
But his expressions changed.
Not shock.
Not disbelief.
Something deeper.
Something.. uneasy.
".. Listen to me carefully," his father said.
"if waht you're saying is true.."
".. Then you aren't normal anymore,"
Those words hit harder than anything.
Not normal
Riven looked at his trembling hands.
".. So this is my fault.".
His voice cracked.
"Our house.. Everything changed.."
Before he could finish -
His father pulled him into a tight hug.
".. Idiot."
Riven froze.
"This isn't your fault".
His voice soften
".. Power attracts danger."
Riven clenched his teeth.
".. Then i will become strong enough to handle it."
His father father pulled back slightly
".. Strength isn't that simple."
A fanit breeze passed through the ruined area.
And then--
A voice
Calm
Familiar
".. So you finally realized that."
Riven's eyes widened.
He turned around.
She was there.
The same girl.
The same school beauty.
Standing quitely, as if she had always been watching.
"you.."
Riven stepped back slightly.
"how long were you there?".
She ignored the question.
Her eyes were fixed on him.
Riven's father whispered slightly.
"Riven is she your girlfriend or something?"
Riven replied " no i asked she said no".
Riven's father was proud of his son for one moment but then got disappointed.
"You now undrstand Fear Factor don't you?"she said and added that that sorry for ruining your family moment.
Riven stayed silent.
She sighed softly.
".. You really don't understand what you are. "
A pause.
Then-
".. Or how dangerous you are. "
Riven frowned.
" What do you want?"
She took a step forward.
Calm.
Confident.
Controlled.
".. You don't have a place to stay anymore, do you?".
Riven's fists tightened..
".. Join the academy."
Riven blinked.
".. What?"
" There is a place she continued " a top level academy. "
" They train people who can use Fear Factor. "
".. Properly."
Riven's heartbeat quickened.
".. Why are you telling me this? "
She looked directly into his eyes.
".. Because you won't survive otherwise."
"I can arrange everything." she added.
"Your house."
"Your family's safety."
Hope flickered for a second inside riven.
".. Really?"
She nodded.
".. But nothing is free."
The air grew heavier.
"After you graduate.."
".. You will work for my father."
Riven's expressions hardened.
".. Your father?"
She didn't hesitate.
".. He owns one of the most powerful organisation in this country."
A pause.
".. And he is interested in you."
Riven felt a chill run down his spine.
".. Interested.. in me?"
She stepped closer.
Now just a few steps away.
".. People like you shouldn't exist"
Riven's breath stopped.
".. Fear Factor before eighteen.."
She titled her head slightly.
".. Do you understand what that means? "
Silence
Heavy
Uncomfortable.
".. You are either a miracle.."
Her eyed narrowed slightly.
".. Or a disaster waiting to happened."
Riven cleched his fists.
".. And if i refuse?"
She turned around.
".. Then you can stay here. "
A glance at the ruins.
". And wait for the next attck. "
She began walking away.
Then stopped.
".. Deside quickly. "
She said without turning back.
".. Because people like you.. "
A slight pause.
".. don't live very long. "
Riven stood there.
Frozen.
His home - gone.
His life - changed.
His future - uncertain.
- Elsewhere -
A quiet meeting room.
Tension filled in the room.
Elara stood before a group of powerful people.
Her vpice was calm.
Serious.
" I hope you are all aware.."
".. Of yesterday's incident in Tokyo."
The room went slient.
"A single individual.."
".. Brought an entire city to its knees."
Murmurs spread.
"Civilians.."
"Officials.."
"Even trained people personnel"..
"none of them could stand."
Fear crept into the room.
A silence deepenes
".. The witness described his eyes.."
A slight pause.
".. As crimson."
The room froze.
"Crimson..?" someone whispered.
Elara said nothing more.
But for a brief moment
Her expression chamged.
Elsewhere -
Valoer was listening all of this
A faint smiled appeared.
".. Crimson, huh."
To be continued..