Chapter 66: Trouble in Paradise
Percy returned to the mansion with heavy steps, his mind clouded with doubt and unease. He found Little 7 standing near the edge of the ruined courtyard, still staring at the charred remains of what once was their home.
"You're back," Little 7 said without turning around.
"I talked to him," Percy replied.
Little 7 looked over his shoulder. "And?"
"It's true… all of it. The Master took him. Killed his parents. Wiped his memories," Percy said, voice low.
Little 7's brows furrowed. "No. That can't be."
Percy nodded. "I wouldn't have believed it either, but the way he said it… He wasn't lying."
Little 7 was quiet for a long time. Then, he whispered, "Do you think he did the same to us?"
Percy didn't answer.
"I remember everything," Little 7 muttered, almost defensively. "I had no parents. I lived with my brother—my real brother. We were together until he died ."
He paused, his fists clenching. "I'm not like Little 9."
Percy didn't press further. Some truths were too painful to unravel at once.
"I'm going to talk to him," Little 7 said. "I don't agree with what the Master did, but turning against him? Destroying everything? That's not the way."
---
It didn't take long for Little 7 to find the Shrouded One. Word had spread fast—he was attacking Master's properties one by one. Warehouses burned, trading routes collapsed, secret bases raided and torched to the ground.
When Little 7 found him, he was watching another blaze devour a hidden estate. His expression was unreadable, face illuminated by firelight.
"You're really doing this?" Little 7 asked, stepping beside him.
The Shrouded One didn't look at him. "Yes."
"You're going to destroy everything the Master built?"
"Everything he stole, yes," he corrected.
Little 7's voice rose. "He raised us. He gave us food, power, even immortality!"
The Shrouded One's eyes narrowed. "I never asked for any of that. I wanted my parents. I wanted a normal life, to grow up laughing in a home that smelled like warm bread and morning sun. But he took that away."
His voice cracked slightly. "He stole my future. So I'll ruin his."
Little 7's throat tightened, but he had no words.
---
The girls arrived later that evening, following the trail of flames and chaos left in the Shrouded One's wake. When they found him, he was standing by the edge of a rocky cliff, staring down at the smoldering ruins below.
"Little 9," Ariella called mockingly. "Looks like trouble in paradise?"
He was momentarily shocked how they knew his real name, but didn't turn to face them.
"We know where the Master hides," Elara said, stepping forward. "And we know everything about what he's done."
Still, he didn't move.
"We also know about the others," Ariella added.
That made him pause. Slowly, the Shrouded One turned his head, eyes narrowing.
"You know about them?"
The girls nodded. "We know you've fallen out with him," Elara said. "Why not join us? Together we can bring him down."
The Shrouded One shook his head. "I don't need your help. This is my revenge. My war."
"You're not the only one he's hurt," Ariella said. "The banished prince is alive. The one who started all of this."
"I don't care," he snapped.
They took a step closer, but he raised a hand and flames burst between them, cutting off the path. The heat made them stumble back.
"I said leave," he growled. "Before I make you."
They retreated, their offer rejected.
---
Little 7 found him again after the girls had gone, this time by a ruined tower where flames still hissed in the stones.
"You're on a suicide mission," Little 7 said flatly.
The Shrouded One chuckled. "Maybe."
"Revenge won't bring your parents back."
"No, but it'll bring him pain," he said bitterly. "And that's enough."
"Come back with me. We can fix this—"
"I don't want to fix anything!" he snapped. "He destroyed me. The least I can do is return the favor."
Little 7 shook his head. "You're blinded by anger."
The Shrouded One stared at him, eyes hard. "Then do something useful with your time, Little 7. Dig into your past. Look deep. Ask yourself if you really remember everything."
He took a step closer.
"What if you were taken too? What if your parents were murdered too?"
Little 7 flinched.
"What if you've been living a lie?"
The Shrouded One turned away, leaving Little 7 alone with the burning question still ringing in his ears.