Apocalypse King: The Return of Lucian-Chapter 38 -

**Chapter 38**

The air was thick with tension, the scent of blood and smoke lingering from the last battle. Lucian stood at the edge of the ruined marketplace, his crimson eyes scanning the horizon. The city was crumbling, yet danger lurked in every shadow.

"Tch..." He wiped a smear of blood from his cheek, the echoes of the last fight still ringing in his ears.

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**BOOM!**

A distant explosion rattled the shattered windows of a nearby building, sending glass cascading to the pavement.

A voice crackled through his earpiece. "Lucian, you need to move. More hostiles inbound."

He recognized the voice—Evelyn, her usually calm tone edged with urgency.

"How many?" he asked, adjusting the grip on his pistol.

"Five, maybe six. And they're not the usual grunts," she replied. "Bishop's tactics. He's tightening the noose."

Lucian smirked. "Let him try."

He turned the corner and came face-to-face with **heavily armored figures**, their **weapons raised**. The moment stretched—then—

**BANG! BANG!**

Lucian moved first. A bullet tore through the first soldier's visor, shattering it. The second tried to react, but Lucian was already on him, **snapping his neck with a sickening crack.**

"Nice warm-up," he muttered.

A flicker of movement in the distance—**a sniper!**

**THWIP!**

The bullet whizzed past his ear, embedding itself in the concrete behind him.

**Vera Nightshade.** The assassin had finally made her move.

Lucian rolled into cover, his pulse steady. "So, you finally came out to play, Vera."

Her voice echoed through the ruins, cold and sharp. "I don't play, Lucian. I finish things."

He felt the shift in the air—**she was moving fast.** Lucian reacted on instinct, twisting just in time to see her **blade slashing toward his throat.** He dodged, the blade grazing his skin, drawing a thin line of blood.

"Almost got me there," he grinned, flipping his pistol around to block her next strike.

Vera's violet eyes gleamed with something between **amusement and fascination**. "You're better than I expected. No wonder Dorian wants you dead."

Lucian caught her wrist mid-strike, yanking her forward. "Dorian's making a mistake."

**CRACK!**

He headbutted her, sending her stumbling back. Vera wiped her lip, smirking despite the pain. "Interesting. Let's see how long you can keep up."

Before she could lunge again, another voice cut through the tension—

**Selene Vaughn.**

"Enough."

Lucian stiffened as an unnatural **wave of energy** washed over him. His vision blurred, the world around him distorting.

"Not this again..." he growled, shaking his head.

Selene stepped from the shadows, her dark hair flowing like liquid night. "You can't fight what's inside your own mind, Lucian. Let's see how deep your nightmares go."

His heart pounded as **hallucinations wrapped around him like a vice.**

Whispers. Screams. His past mistakes—distorted, twisted.

And in the distance,

**Dorian watched.**

Waiting.

Lucian gritted his teeth. He had to break free. He **would** break free.

This wasn't over.

**To be continued...**