Caius looked at the paper in his hand and tore it to pieces in the next second, the sound of ripping echoing like a distant thunderclap in the stillness, throwing it to the ground. However, before those pieces of paper could reach the earth, they swirled and blazed up in a vortex of black flames, consuming them whole with the dark inferno. All that remained was a whisper of smoke that dissipated into the air, leaving nothing behind.
"Duke Windsor," Caius murmured, his voice a deep, velvety timbre that melted away into the silence of the moonlit night. "It seems that I can't keep you any longer."
The words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken tension, as shadows gathered around him, cloaking the scene in a dark haze.
…
The next day, Caius went to the core of the array to assess the state of the protective barrier. Number Eleven stayed behind to guard Venera, while Micah and Number Ten were ordered to return to the royal palace for a thorough cleanup.
