Xiran was still in Emeradius City. The first call he made was to Silver so they could initiate the security protocols in Lahoire and send over the hunter team. He feared for Yurian and his family. His father must have left a bloodbath in his wake.

He frantically dialled his number, Xiran’s hands shook and he almost dropped the phone. Silver picked up on two bells, his deep voice came through the speaker:

"Hello!"

"Silver, he got Aselia. Send your teams, I don’t even know how the condition at the safe house is. I just know he took her," the tremors and agony in Xiran’s voice had Silver’s heart dropping into a pit. Their worst nightmares had come true. He didn’t waste any time asking how this happened, he decided to act. Every second was precious.

"I will initiate all emergency protocols. I will head there myself and oversee everything, don’t worry we will get her back," he kept his voice steady and reassuring. Silver didn’t even want to contemplate Xiran’s condition.

Xiran ended the call and dialled the number of his best friend. He hadn’t spoken to him in weeks now but he was the only person he trusted.

It was still very early in the morning in Fritez City and Rivan was still sleeping. He was astonished to see Xiran calling him like that and alarms began ringing in his head.

He received the call and Xiran’s voice had him bolting out of his bed.

"He took her, he took my Leia. I couldn’t protect her," he was babbling like a madman.

"Hey! Hey! Xi, listen. Come home, we will formulate a plan and get her back. Please, don’t do anything stupid," Rivan pleaded, wishing Xiran was here so they would be there for him. But he was away, in a different city and this must have broken him, he wouldn’t think straight, he never did when it came down to Aselia.

"I am going to get her back. He wants me to come alone or he would hurt her. So don’t come after me, this is my war with him and I will fight it alone," the burdens of his heart were too much for him to bear and only the sheer determination to have her back was keeping him standing.

"Xi! Don’t be stupid. This is suicide. This is exactly what he wants. Wait for me to come to you," Rivan knew he was beyond reasoning at this point but he still tried.

"No, just keep Irlana and the city safe. I called you to say in case I never make it back the city will be in your hands and please keep my sister happy. She has suffered enough," Xiran’s voice was so distressed, he was clutching and pulling his hair in frustration. Rivan’s heart pinged with an insurmountable amount of pain.

"Don’t say that, listen..." but Xiran ended the call there and exited his room. He asked the guard to take him to Casmian. After talking to him, he had planned to leave.

Casmian had just woken up when the door to his room got knocked on. He permitted entry. The guard opened the door followed by a haggard-looking Xiran, his eyes had tinted red from either anger or lack of sleep. Casmian was confused, he thought Xiran would be happy, now that Aselia was safe. Guard left, closing the door behind him.

Xiran faced and pinned him with narrowed eyes. Deep creases decorated his forehead pulling his bows together. The sides of his lips had tightened and the upper lip curved ever so subtly that it revealed a disdainful sneer. Casmian almost felt a shiver down his spine. Whatever he was about to say was not going to be pretty. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"My father took her, she got exposed here and someone recognised her and followed just as I had expected. I truly want to end the miserable life of your brother but I don’t have time for that. I am going to save my girl and just pray she is not harmed in any way. Because when this all will end and somehow only I survive and she is not by my side. I will burn your city, Casmian."

A gasp escaped Casmian and he understood what Xiran was going through.

"W...What? How? When?" Casmian stammered, his eyes wide in shock and his fists balling up at his sides as he got up and approached Xiran.

"I am going to save her, I just wanted you to know that your blunders have endangered her life and I don’t even know how I am going to find her," the regrets were haunting him. He should have gone with her, kept her safe.

"I will talk to father, he will go with us. We will get her back," he pleaded.

"You can’t, my father will kill her if anyone else besides me tries to approach. He has me under his thumb. I am leaving now," Xiran scornfully eyed him one last time and turned around to leave.

"Xiran! This was never my intention. I am sorry, I will try to rewrite my mistake in any way possible," his eyes were downcast. Casmian was ashamed of himself. He had not been a good friend.

"Just pray I don’t come back alone," Xiran’s haunting voice was laced with threat, he opened the door and left.

Heading to the airport he sat in his jet and left for the city he hated the most in this world and he only hoped that his Leia was alive and not harmed. He didn’t want to even comprehend the possibility of what his father would do to her.

"Where are we headed, Señor?" Pilot asked him through the intercom.

"Grithos, Anthos. Use my name to get access," Xiran answered with a clenched jaw.

"Yes, Senor!"

Xiran sat back and began to formulate a plan to save her. The horrors he wanted to avoid had him in his clutches and he had nowhere to run but to face them head-on. The one final battle between him and his father was about to ensue and the key player was Aselia.

"Hang in there my love. I am coming," he whispered with glossy eyes.