Lucas's Death Mystery

In the dimly lit room of the Fista Guild, Selene sat on an ornate wooden chair, her fingers drumming rhythmically on the armrest. The room was decorated with trophies and banners from various guild accomplishments, but the current atmosphere was heavy with concern.

"So, the son of the vice president of the Star Guild used monsters, and C-rank ones at that, to attack Zane and his friend?" Selene's voice carried a note of frustration.

"Yes, ma'am," replied one of her trusted informants. "Zane contacted me. They were severely injured from facing those monsters."

Selene sighed deeply, her eyes narrowing. "This is a new problem we need to address. Are the boys alright?"

"Yes, though their injuries show how intensely they fought. It's impressive that there was no permanent damage. Also, it may be just a hunch, but I think both cases are connected."

Selene leaned forward, her expression thoughtful. "Hmm, it might be true. Any information about Lucas?"

"Yes. He is the son of the vice president of the Star Guild and is in the same class as Zane and Kevin. From the report, he has a fire ability."

"I see. So, he is the son of Gregory Astor. He is as troublesome as his father." Selene sighed and said, "Keep an eye on Zane and his friend. If it's the same organization, they might try to get rid of him again."

"Yes, understood," the informant replied, bowing slightly before leaving the room.

Meanwhile, on Zane's Way to School, the morning sun cast a golden hue on the bustling city streets as Zane made his way to school. The air was filled with the usual chatter of students, the scent of freshly baked bread from a nearby bakery, and the distant hum of traffic. Despite the vibrant surroundings, a shadow of worry loomed over Zane.

As he reached the school gates, he noticed Kevin already in class, but Lucas was still nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, Kevin, good morning," Zane greeted as he entered the classroom.

"Yeah, good morning," Kevin replied, though his voice lacked its usual cheer.

"Got anything about Lucas?" Zane asked, his concern evident.

"No, Mr. Marcus said they didn't find anything."

"He must be hiding somewhere," Zane mused, trying to stay optimistic.

"Well, duh, he will hide. Who in his right mind would come in front of people he tried to kill?" Kevin said sarcastically and continued, "I will beat the shit out of him if I get him. He will definitely pay."

Zane nodded. He also wanted to take revenge; he was not a saint to leave the person who harmed him. Lucas would pay tenfold the pain he had caused.

Both continued the conversation about yesterday. The classroom was buzzing with conversations until the teacher entered. His serious expression quickly silenced the students.

"Good morning everyone. Before starting, I have something very important to say," the teacher said, taking a long pause and sighing. "I have very sad news," the teacher announced, his voice somber. "Lucas has died in an accident yesterday. Everyone is advised to pray for him."

Both Zane and Kevin's minds went blank. "Wait, what? Did we hear that right? He died? How?" They looked at each other, shock written across their faces.

How could he die like that? Yesterday he just tried to kill them. Did he attempt suicide? No, no, he didn't have the guts to do that. But then how? The thoughts were raging in Zane's mind; he still couldn't believe Lucas died.

After a brief moment of prayer for Lucas, the teacher began the lesson, but the class was abuzz with murmurs about Lucas. The whole day passed, but Zane and Kevin couldn't focus, their minds consumed with thoughts of how Lucas had died.

### After School

As soon as the bell rang, Zane hurriedly contacted Marcus to confirm the news.

"Yes, it is confirmed that he is dead," Marcus said, his voice grim. "But the reason is still unclear. Though it is stated that he died from an accident, it's not likely to be true. We investigated and couldn't find anything about an accident, so there must be another reason behind this."

"You both should be careful as well."

"Yes, we will."

Zane hung up and sighed.

"So, the news is true?" Kevin asked.

"Yes, Lucas really died yesterday, but the reason is unclear according to Mr. Marcus. He advised us to be careful."

Kevin shook his head. "I don't know what to do."

"I know it's hard, but we can't do anything. Also, the Fista Guild is helping us. Everything will be alright," Zane tried to make Kevin's mood better, though he was also worried. Kevin, seeing Zane trying to lift his mood, smiled.

"Yes, you are correct. Everything will be fine. Let's go home," Kevin said cheerfully.

--

In a lavish yet somber mansion, Lucas' father, Gregory Astor, an A-rank awakened, sat in his study, staring at a photograph of his son. Gregory was a tall, imposing man with sharp features and a commanding presence. His eyes, usually filled with pride and determination, now burned with grief and anger.

He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "Whoever did this to my son will pay dearly," he vowed. His voice, though calm, carried an undertone of rage.

Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. "Come in," he commanded.

A loyal servant entered, bowing respectfully. "Sir, we have found some information. It appears Sir Lucas was connected with an illegal organization."

Gregory's eyes narrowed. "An illegal organization? What do you mean?"

"It seems Lucas was involved with a group known for dealing with monsters and bringing them into the city," the servant explained.

"Are you saying Lucas brought monsters into the city?"

"Yes, sir. We also found the corpses of monsters. It is reported that among them, one was a C-rank and the others were D-rank monsters."

Gregory raged inside. He couldn't believe his son had done something so reckless, getting involved with an illegal organization and bringing monsters within the city at that. If the Association found out about this... "Shit, why did he do something this stupid? What was he thinking?" But he calmed himself down and had to think of how to clear the mess his son had made now.

"Any information about who killed the monsters?"

"No, sir. We are still finding out."

"Hurry up and clear all the evidence. If anyone finds out…" He clenched his hands in anger. "And find out about the illegal organization and report to me."

"Yes, sir." The servant left the room.

Gregory leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, thinking, "If the guild master finds out about this, I will be doomed."

 As Gregory sat brooding in his study, the heavy curtains barely letting in the light, he reflected on the dire consequences of Lucas's actions. The Star Guild's reputation, and his own, were on the line. He had to act swiftly and decisively.

Meanwhile, back at the Fista Guild, Selene convened an emergency meeting with her closest confidants. The room was filled with the low murmur of concerned voices until Selene raised her hand for silence.

"Everyone," she began, her tone commanding yet laced with urgency, "we have a serious situation on our hands. Lucas Astor's death is still a mystery, and the involvement of monsters within the city walls cannot be ignored; it affects all of us."

One of the guild members, a tall man with a scar running down his cheek, spoke up. "Do you think Gregory Astor will cover this up, given his son's involvement?"

Selene nodded. "It's highly likely. Gregory has always been more concerned with his power and reputation than anything else. We need to find out who was behind this illegal organization and their motive for bringing monsters into the city."

Another member, a woman with sharp eyes and an air of intelligence, added, "We should also ensure the safety of Zane and Kevin. They were directly targeted, and there's no telling if they'll be attacked again. Also, Gregory Astor might try to harm both boys to silence them."

"Agreed," Selene replied. "Assign a couple of our best to keep a discreet watch over them. We must also gather any information we can about this organization. They are a threat to the safety of the entire city."

--

Meanwhile Zane at his home.

Zane sat on the sofa, lost in his thoughts about Lucas, when suddenly a low wind blew in his ear, making him spring up and scream as he covered his ear.

"Hey, calm down! It's just me," said a familiar voice. It was Kevin, who had sneaked in through the window.

Zane took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. "Kevin, don't do that! You scared me and Why are you here!"

Kevin chuckled. "Sorry, I couldn't resist. But we need to talk. This whole situation with Lucas is really bothering me."

Zane nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah, it's been eating at me too. I can't shake the feeling that there's more to this than we know."

Kevin sat down next to Zane, his face thoughtful. "You know, Lucas was always a bit of an annoying and always used his power to bully weaks. But I never thought he'd get involved with something so dangerous. Do you think he was forced into it?"

"Maybe," Zane replied, "but we can't know for sure unless we dig deeper. We need to find out more about this illegal organization and why Lucas was involved with them."

Kevin agreed. "You're right. But we have to be careful. If the Fista Guild is watching over us, that means we're in more danger than we thought."

Zane nodded, determination in his eyes. "We'll be careful, but we can't just sit and do nothing".

Kevin placed a reassuring hand on Zane's shoulder. "We'll get through this together. Let's start by gathering as much information as we can. And we also have the Fista Guild on our side."

Zane smiled, feeling a bit more hopeful. "Yeah, we'll get to the bottom of this."

With renewed resolve, the two friends began to plan their next steps, ready to uncover the dark secrets lurking within their city.