Code Nexus

Cassian stiffened at the words. He had a suspicion about who was causing this ice—and he was determined not to let the moment slip from his grasp.

As if on cue, the temperature in the room plummeted. Then, Cyrus stepped from the shadows.

The figure that emerged was strikingly familiar to Cassian; Cyrus hadn't changed one bit: blond hair, blue eyes, and a cool sense of detachment. A Band encircled his wrist, but it was dormant, no radiant glow to reveal its rank.

The stillness with which he walked forward sent chills down the board member's spine.

"It's been a while, hasn't it… Cyrus?" Cassian's voice was devoid of the fear shown on the others' expressions. "Why are you involved in all of this?"

Cyrus regarded him for a moment before answering in an almost condescending tone.

"I'm here because you spared my life once, Cassian Black, son of AU's head. That's the only reason I'll answer your question."

"How noble," Cassian replied, undeterred by the sheer cold plaguing the room. "So what's your play?"

"Simple," Cyrus stated. "Karl failed his mission. I was here to fulfill it."

'Was?' Cassian thought to himself.

He had to ask, "What mission are you—" Before he could finish, he glanced at Reed, who huddled together with the other board members, then back to Cyrus, understanding what Cyrus had meant. "You killed them, didn't you?"

Cyrus met Cassian's gaze with silence. It was a deafening acknowledgment that revealed the horror he had committed.

"My family…" Reed's voice quivered, breaking as the realization hit him. "You killed my family!"

Cyrus's expression remained unperturbed. This caused Reed to start sobbing before he fell to the floor, stricken, as if an invisible weight pressed down on him.

Cassian understood the void tearing through Reed's heart—his world had become a cage of sorrow.

Cyrus took a step forward with an icy calm in his demeanor and continued, "SolTech's expansion and its growing trade ties with AU had become a threat to Libra. Karl was supposed to disrupt the flow, weaken your influence, and prevent it from expanding further." He let that sink in for the others to understand. "However, since he failed, I had to take desperate measures."

Cassian's gaze never wavered as he stated, "A thief turned killer—no different than Karl."

"Don't compare me to him," Cyrus retorted, pointing at Karl's body.

Karl, who lay in the cold grip of frost, opened his mouth to retort, but he was met with a severe cough, making it difficult to draw breath.

"Please, protect us!" Eliza begged. "I… I don't want to die!"

Cyrus waved his head and then brushed his fingers through his hair. He didn't like the feeling or idea of being looked at like a predator.

"I'm not going to kill you all, if that's what you're worried about," he announced. "I'm not the type to commit mass murder."

The board members exchanged confused glances, bewildered that a man standing before them called himself above such actions. With bodies still trembling, they struggled to comprehend the logic behind his morality.

But Cassian understood all too well.

"You're sending a message," he murmured. "What you're doing here is a declaration to the heads of SolTech: disband, or the rest of your families will suffer the same fate."

Cyrus's casual demeanor did not change. Cassian remained composed, knowing he was right.

"You risked showing up here despite the mess Karl created," he remarked. "What's your other reason for coming? You could have easily left this behind."

Cyrus looked at him with something almost resembling respect and answered, "I didn't come to kill Karl, if that's what you're implying. No… I wanted to see you again."

Cassian raised an eyebrow. Now why would a member from Libra want to risk releasing their face and name just to see him?

"What's the connection?" Cassian proved.

Cyrus's tone turned more serious as he answered, "Unlike everything else around us, Cassian, you were the only person not affected by my Band's ability to turn everything into ice… On top of that, Karl failed to turn you into a doll. Don't you think that would surprise more than just me?"

In a sense, Cyrus was right.

Cassian's Band, known for its strange adaptability, allowed its wielder to adjust to other Bands.

When confronted by Karl's Band, which had the ability to turn opponents into dolls, Cassian found that not only could his Band adapt to the dangerous transformative effects of Karl's powers, but it also began to mirror Karl's fighting techniques.

This unique aspect meant that as Cassian engaged with Karl, he was gradually assimilating the very style that Karl employed, which included deceptive maneuvers and strategic placements that typically characterized his approach.

In practical terms, this adaptation manifested in Cassian's movements becoming fluid and instinctual, mirroring those of Karl.

He found himself responding to Karl's attacks better with his Band active, as if he could read Karl's attacks beforehand. This unforeseen benefit made the confrontation much easier for Cassian without needing to exhaust his mental faculties.

However, what others didn't know was that Cassian's innate skills and combat experience meant he could have faced Karl without relying on this adaptive advantage.

His own personal training had prepared him to handle various styles of combat independently. That meant that his ingenuity and prowess could have allowed him to devise effective strategies against Karl's Band without needing to adjust to the doll-making technique.

The fact that his Band tailored itself to Karl's fighting style merely came from a place of opportunity rather than necessity, offering Cassian an added layer of comfort and efficiency in battle.

What this fight revealed, unbeknownst to others, was what his adaptability underscored—illustrating not just flexibility in combat situations but also understanding of the other person's fighting style.

So long as Cassian was being attacked by someone or something, he could adapt to it.

With those things in mind, he cracked his neck and wondered, "So you're saying you want to fight?"

Despite the challenge, Cyrus simply shrugged, responding, "I have no reason to fight you now. My mission's complete." Cassian narrowed his eyes. Surely that couldn't have been all Cyrus had to say. "I suggest you take yourself elsewhere… Leave AU behind; it's not fit for the likes of you."

At those words, he turned, the subtle shift in his posture departing from confrontation.

In his leave, he plainly revealed, "You're the one who failed to maintain order here, Cassian. I didn't need to lift a finger to cause troubles within SolTech… You have your flawed system to thank for that."

As he walked away, Cassian's thoughts swirled with the consequences of this encounter. He had succeeded in exposing the man behind the murders—caught the puppet in a web of his own.

But SolTech? That company would undoubtedly disband under the weight of dread and loss, leaving nothing behind.

Such was the tragic fate for those who would not be useful to AU.

Turning away from the retreating figure of Cyrus, Cassian saw Reed fall to his knees, arms raised in despair. "Why did this happen to me?" he cried in sorrow. The words spilled from his lips, and the saddened emotions plagued his heart. "My family, my precious family!"

Now Cassian saw what Karl was getting at. This wasn't karma; this was retribution.

Those who slaved away behind a desk without a purpose and labored for businesses were wasting their moments of life.

What if things had been different? What if Reed had actually said a few caring words to Karl instead of putting his career over what was believed to be a late co-worker?

In that moment, Cassian felt an unexpected detachment; he couldn't muster sympathy, or pain, or pity for the man on the ground nor the man covered in ice.

Why should he? Both SolTech and the world were corrupt beyond measure.

There had been many times in his past that he had to deal with the manifestation of failure due to man's nature. And Reed's helplessness felt like another thread woven into that same fabric.

Nonetheless, as morbid as things may seem, Cassian understood the poignant truth: he had completed his mission in one regard—capturing the person responsible for the initial murders—but at what cost?

There would be no solace and no celebration for this assignment.

As the room filled with quiet dread, he gathered his thoughts. He would have to deliver Karl to AU; they would determine the proper sentence.

Karl's figure remained helpless and devoid of purpose as he struggled against the icy grip surrounding him. Although defiant, he knew his time was waning.

"Cassian!" he croaked. "You don't understand! We could join forces! We can still do something great!"

Cassian shook his head, knowing that this man was going through the five stages of death.

"The time for that is over, Karl. Just as it ended for you the moment you chose revenge over redemption."

And those words echoed within the hallowed walls of the estate; Cassian steeled himself, determined to steer his way through the darkness. He wasn't one to succumb to darkness; he commanded it.