"Where is this coming from? How do you know that's what's happening?" Nikolai asked. Lee Seng sighed and rubbed his eyes. "How do you know about that?"
"The more I share with you, the more I'm sure I shouldn't." Lee Seng replied. "Just get to the point. Why do you need me? This isn't some reunion. You kidnapped me while I was in the middle of something. If you can't provide information that will help me, there's no reason to talk." He moved past his uncle, towards the edge of the runic spell. Lee Seng began to reach for the edge when Nikolai turned.
"There were signs of something special within you." Nikolai finally started to tell Lee Seng what he wanted to know. "We didn't know what it was, then, but it's exactly what we need to turn the tide of this battle. You have an experimental Biohuman serum within you as well as this contract with this Fox Spirit. I think this'll be enough to turn the tide."
"And if that isn't enough…?" Lee Seng asked.
"My people can handle themselves. We just need someone to… cause a scene. I think you'd be the perfect person for that."
"So you want me and my allies to risk our lives and hope that you and your allies can handle everything else?" Lee Seng turned to face his uncle. "Uncle Nikolai, throwing myself into the lion's den is one thing, but my friends will want to come with me. I can't throw them into the middle of all of this."
"They must already know what you're up to." Nikolai stepped forward. He gave him the same look he always gave when he was about to change someone's mind on something. "You wouldn't have come out of the shadows if you weren't sure your friends would fight with you. There's a reason why you stay with all of them - with Valentin's kid, especially. After all he and Sarah's done to you? I'm actually shocked you let him stay by your side."
"What's your point?" Lee Seng reached for the spell edge, readying himself to be done with this conversation.
"You wouldn't have stuck around with your friends if you weren't sure they'd follow you into battle. Into a battle that very much will cause death." Nikolai's voice felt ice cold. 'Death' was something very familiar to Lee Seng and the others. He had almost died and succumbed into a coma because of it. He and his friends had risked their lives and almost died countless times. Uncle Niko was right about all of this, but there was still anger burning within Lee Seng. An anger that wanted to tell his uncle he was wrong.
Nikolai took another step forward and cocked his head. 'Am I wrong?' That's what his face was asking Lee Seng. Lee Seng sighed and took a moment to think about everything. If Lee Seng and the others went back to figure things out, things would get crazy. The city might turn upside down while Lee Seng tried to figure out what he was. He needed to confirm and understand why the Creator - his father - was doing all of this.
'Was it really for Mom?' Lee Seng thought. He let out a sigh and swiped the spell, ending it.
"Everyone wants to use me to get something, Uncle." Lee Seng turned towards the exit. He could see Nikolai's allies. They were all taking in the strange form of a Fox Spirit standing in front of him. "I should've expected a dead man to do the same." He started towards the exit. Nikolai called after Lee Seng, following his nephew.
"If you go in there without my help, you'll surely—" The entire room grew heavy. Lee Seng turned to his uncle.
"I don't care if you decide to show up and help." Lee Seng spoke loudly. His form shifted back into the undercover form of Jeffrey Zhang. "Just don't get in my way. I need answers and once I find them, my father and everyone associated with him can burn for all I care."
[Runeweave's passive activated. Expelling runes triggered.]
The room's hidden runes exploded. Lee Seng lifted his right hand up and opened a portal into the dimly lit apartment. Lee Seng stepped into it as his uncle began to shout his name. The portal closed behind him, leaving Nikolai and his allies alone.
"Dammit!" Nikolai shouted.
"Am I to assume that didn't end well?" A woman's ethereal voice asked. Light cracked, breaking. Akali and Akio appeared besides Nikolai. Akio reached for Nikolai who swatted him away.
"I told you I should've talked to him. I know him best. He wouldn't have agreed to being used." Akio told Nikolai. Nikolai gritted his teeth and sighed. The abandoned building shattered its illusion, revealing a dark empty field in the middle of nowhere.
"What do we do now?" Carlisle asked stepping forward. "If he didn't accept it then —"
"He didn't say no." Akali replied.
"He didn't." Akio agreed. The twins looked over to the large group around them.
"But, sir, don't we need Lee Seng for the upcoming fight?" Carlisle asked. "What if he doesn't come?" Akio smiled.
"He'll come. He looked like he had a bunch of questions he wanted to ask but didn't." Akio looked at Akali. Akali nodded and cleared her throat.
"We've asked people for their help, right? Did we get anyone who will join us?" Akali asked Carlisle.
"Th-there's six more people who are joining us." Carlisle answered. "We have four more people who are still unsure."
"Call everyone back." Akio ordered. He looked at the defeated Nikolai. "I think our little brother's going to do something soon."
"B-but we weren't supposed to leave for another—" Carlisle started to talk when Nikolai cut him off.
"Just do as they say." Nikolai sighed. He regained his composure and let out a long sigh. Akio patted Nikolai's shoulder.
"I told you. Lee Seng won't listen to you just like he won't listen to us. He would've tried to kill us on sight if he saw us. The only reason why you were used is because you were a dead man up until this point." Akio explained. "Lee Seng's in his 'bad boy' era. He doesn't listen to us, but he'll definitely go to Capitol City. He'll help us."
"How can you be so sure?" Nikolai removed Akio's hand from his shoulder. "He didn't say any of that at all."
"Don't worry about that!" Akio smiled. He folded his arms together and looked up at the night sky. The night would soon completely take over. "Lee Seng's changed in the two years we last saw him, but he did heal me."
"His 'twin' healed you. That spirit…" Akali corrected.
"They'll come. Don't worry about it. As for the rest of you, let's try to get enough sleep for the venture back. Pull the cars and the trucks out! Set up camp!" The group split off, lighting up the growing darkness around them.
Lee Seng stepped into the dimly lit apartment. The air con was running in the background as the portal shut behind him. He turned to look at the time and noticed it was late. He turned to look at the living room and noticed someone was sleeping there. He quietly moved over and recognized the person was Keng. He smiled and knelt down. He stared at Keng for a bit, poking at him.
"Lee Seng…" Keng quietly smacked his lips. He rolled over. "Lee…"
"I'm home." Lee Seng whispered. He stood up and adjusted the blanket on Keng. He let out a yawn as he turned and pulled his shoes off. He quietly entered his room and found Ritsuka awake. Ritsuka noticed something moving and immediately lifted himself up outta bed.
"Who's there?" Ritsuka asked. "Keng?" Lee Seng closed the door and lit the room in a dim golden light.
"It's me." Lee Seng answered.
eaglesnov?1,сoМ "L-Lee?" Ritsuka stuttered. He jumped out of bed and rushed over. "W-where did you go? You just disappeared. We tried to call you! You dropped your phone too!" Ritsuka hugged him tightly. "We spent all day looking for you! What happened?!?"
"I'm fine." Lee Seng quietly said. Ritsuka pulled away and studied Lee Seng. He looked tired and drained. "A ghost came to see me." He moved towards the closet and opened it. He grabbed some new clothes and stepped back out of the closet.
"A ghost?"
"A ghost and two annoying people." Lee Seng started over to the bathroom in their room.
"W-what do you mean by that? Are you in danger? Do we have to run away now?" Ritsuka asked. Lee Seng stopped at the bathroom entrance in their room and thought about it for a minute.
"Akio and Akali were there… They used Nikolai to ask me a huge favor." Lee Seng finally answered. Ritsuka's face grew intense with confusion and worry. "Don't worry. They won't do anything to us… If anything, I think we won't be the only ones going back to Captiol City… I just don't know why they want to take down my father… They're surely hiding something from me… But for now, let's just focus on gathering more information and some more creds. I have a feeling they'll make contact one last time before they initiate their plan."
Lee Seng stepped into the bathroom, flicking the light on. It illuminated part of the room as Ritsuka made his way over to the open bathroom door. Lee Seng had set his clothes on the sink counter and was pulling his shirt off.
"Can we trust them?" Ritsuka asked his final question. Lee Seng began to unbutton his pants and looked at Ritsuka.
"There wasn't any ill intent."
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