"Hello, is this Ghost?"

  "Heya sir, Ghost speaking. It's rare that somebody like you calls me directly, what do you need?"

  "Excellent, in that case I'd like for you to notify Julius about a rather sensitive issue that has arisen."

  "Mr Silver, with all due respect, what kind of issue do you have that the Mirage Corporation can't handle on their own? We're really short staffed at the moment so the Hero Organisation can't spare many heroes for other things. We haven't had a lot of heroes as reinforcements since we lost the Arhke Academy."

  "I understand your difficulty however this isn't an issue that can be resolved by the Mirage Corporation. It's a family matter, I need Julius made aware of it."

  "Alright, I understand, what's the problem Mr Silver?"

  "My family has received a threat letter, there's no sender, the only legible signature simply says "Knight". Mr Draven and the Chairman told me I should notify you about it. Do you know anything?"

  "Knight... hmmm, yeah I think I do. Leave this with me, I'll notify Julius about the situation. Bye Mr Silver. Ghost out!"

  Before Silver could answer Ghost abruptly cut off the mental link.

  Outside Arhke, Mirage felt a familiar static in his mind and tapped his earlobe in response.

  "Ghost, if you want a mission report things are going smoothly, painfully so. No Demons or any higher level Abyssal Creatures, just the weaklings, it's incredibly dull."

  "Heya Mirage, listen, this isn't about your mission. Your father, Mr Silver, he contacted me directly. He wanted me to relay to you that a threat has been made against your family. Being the only hero in your household I believe you should return to Arhke. Don't worry about the mission, Blaze and Charlotte can finish it just fine."

  Mirage chuckled. "Somebody made a threat? My father is simply overreacting. He's grown paranoid lately due to lack of suitable heirs, since of my family members only my sister and I inherited powers, and even then, hers isn't suited for combat. This threat is likely nothing, though I'll go and alleviate my father's worry."

  He returned to Arhke and strode into his family's manor.

  Inside the enormous, opulent hallway various house staff members bustled about urgently. One approached Mirage and bowed to him politely. "Young Master Silver. Several members of your family are gathered in the main lounge, please go and see them."

  Mirage nodded firmly. "Understood, I shall head there now."

  As he walked down the corridor a large polished wooden door came into view, standing imposingly over the rest of the corridor. The door creaked as Mirage pushed it open.

  Beyond the door was a luxurious and well furnished lounge. Three people sat in a circle on chairs, an older man and woman, and a younger man who looked a few years older than Julius.

  The older man and the younger man both wore smart suits. The older man had faded golden blonde hair while the younger man had much more vibrant golden blonde hair, much like Julius.

  The older woman wore a gilded dress, it sparkled and shone in the light from the window.

  Mirage greeted them all with a nod.

  The younger man spoke first. "Juli, welcome home. I've not seen you in quite a while."

  Mirage shook his head begrudgingly. "I told you not to call me that Alphonse."

  Alphonse chuckled. "You've not changed. As your older brother I think I reserve the right to use a nickname when referring to you." He lightly punched Mirage's shoulder in goodwill.

  The older man shook his head. "This isn't the time for idle banter. Julius, Alphonse. I summoned you both here to make sure everyone is protected. Julius is the only one with a power we can rely on, if it comes to it, destroy any foe who'd dare try to harm a member of the Silver family!"

  Mirage sighed. "I don't really know why you need me for this. We've got a security team. I'm a Gold Rank Hero. I have more to deal with than a petty threat, even if it is against my own family."

  Alphonse stepped between the two. "More importantly. Where's Ruby?"

  Mr Silver nodded, a look of contemplation painted his face. "She's at a party. I called her about an hour before the two of you got here, she should be returning about now."

  Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

  Out of nowhere the TV in the room flickered on. A hooded figure with a silver skull mask covering his face appeared on the screen. His voice was heavily synthesised to sound incredibly deep. "Silver Family. Hello, you don't know me but I know all about you. Call me Reaper, Knight of Ruin. I'll cut to the chase, make this nice and easy for you. You have something I want, and I have something dear to you." He held a silver pendant up to the screen so they could all see it.

  The older woman gasped. "That's Ruby's Pendant. She'd never part with it willingly. What have you done with my daughter!"

  Reaper laughed. "Relax, she's just fine, and will continue to be as long as you cooperate."

  Mr Silver glared at the screen. "We'll never give the likes of you anything!"

  Reaper nodded. "Shame. I don't wanna hurt the girl but since the situation calls for it I guess I gotta get my hands dirty after all."

  Alphonse shook his head. "Hang on, what is it you want from us exactly?"

  "Ah, the eldest son speaks up when his stubborn father won't budge. You must really care about your sister. That's sweet. I don't wanna ruin such a lovely family by killing the girl so I'll get straight to it. Where is the Silver Family's Protector's Artifact?"

  Mirage shook his head. "That's not information we are willing to reveal. No matter the cost, If you think holding my sister hostage will get you what you want then you've made a very fatal mistake. I will not allow you to find the Artifact."

  Reaper chuckled. "The younger brother rejects the offer. I see." His head tilted to the side, as if looking at something just out of view of the screen. "Three days. I'll give you three days to decide, the life of Miss Silver here or your Protector's Artifact. If the Artifact isn't willingly surrendered to the organisation I work for within those three days then you'll never see the girl again. I'll leave you to decide."

  The TV flickered and the screen went dark. Leaving the four in shock and worry.

  An hour earlier, outside a fancy club stood a young lady with bright blue eyes and golden blonde hair tied in an updo, her heels clacked against the concrete pavement as her bright red dress shone in the moonlight. Her silver pendant hung proudly around her neck.

  A black limousine pulled onto the pavement in front of her. She opened the elongated door and stepped inside, sitting down on the soft cushioned seat. "Driver, let us be off, my father won't tolerate any further delays."

  The driver nodded. "Of course Miss Silver." The limousine pulled away from the pavement and onto the road.

  The limousine trundled down the illuminated street. Ruby looked out of the dimmed window, watching the lights go by, creating mesmerising patterns on the otherwise dull city landscape.

  After driving for fifteen minutes the limousine screeched to a halt. Ruby looked towards the front of the vehicle. "Driver, is there a problem?"

  The driver turned and nodded. "There are three people in the road. I can't quite make them out."

  A few meters in front of the limousine stood three figures, one taller one in the middle surrounded by two shorter figures, all three wore black hoods to obscure their appearances.

  The middle one wore a silver skull mask. He was holding a scythe with a pitch black blade.

  The other two were identical in stature and movements, both raised their right hands into the air at exactly the same time, the visible skin on their hands was pale white, like snow.

  Suddenly a loud pop and a creak rung out through the limousine, Ruby looked at the driver and fell backwards in shock.

  The man who was once the driver was now a faceless wooden puppet wearing human clothes, he didn't move or make any sound.

  The man in the middle of the three slowly walked towards the limousine, he kicked the door off and reached inside.

  Ruby kicked him with her heels as he tried to grab her. "Who are you? Get off me!"

  She felt a cold pressure against her neck suddenly and stopped moving, it slid around to her throat and she saw the pitch black blade of a scythe pressed against it, her eyes widened in fear and she didn't dare make a sound.

  "Good evening. I'm looking for one Miss Silver, might you be able to help me. My name is Reaper by the way, my Queen demands something off the Silver family." He chuckled and kept the blade firmly pressed against her throat.

  Ruby's hands shook in fear as she tried to formulate a sentence from her dry and shaky lips. "I-I'm Rubina Silver, what do you want from me?"

  Reaper shook his head. "It's not what I want from you, it's what I want from your family, and you're going to help me get it Miss Silver. But first..." He pointed at the scythe blade, pitch black and sinister. "Do you know what this is?"

  She nodded almost imperceptibly. "I-It's the Draven Family Protector's Relic... Deathless Scythe. Why do you have it?"

  "Why indeed, it's pretty clear I'm not a Draven. I suppose I'm just compatible, it happens sometimes you know."

  He reached over towards Ruby's trembling body and grabbed her hair, tearing her updo down and pulling her out of the vehicle. Ruby screamed as he pulled her along by the hair. "Stop! Please stop it!" She cried out.

  He let go of her hair as she left the vehicle, sending her tumbling onto the concrete pavement. She made no attempts to stand from there.

  "Who are those two?" She pointed with a disoriented, shaky finger towards the two other figures.

  Reaper glanced at them. "They're the Bishops of Control. They were chosen to assist me on this mission, if you don't cooperate you'll end up like your poor driver!"

  He grabbed her pendant and yanked it off her neck. Ruby yelped as the pendant's chain cut against her neck. "W-what do you want?"

  Reaper chuckled. "I want the Silver Family's Protector's Artifact. My Queen commanded I fetch it for her, she can be quite demanding at times." He sighed.

  "I'm not gonna take no for an answer, now. Talk!"

  Ruby nodded frantically, tears streamed down her face. "Okay okay, just don't kill me, please!"

  Reaped laughed. "I'm not gonna kill you, provided you cooperate with me."

  Ruby looked up at him, pure fear in her eyes. "It's always on the house head... my father has it with him, my brothers will be with my father by now, you won't be able to get it off him easily."

  Reaped nodded. "I see, that's interesting. Alright then. We're relocating, I have a TV appearance to make. Let's go."

  Reaper grabbed Ruby by the shoulders and walked her away from the street, the Bishops followed behind, the puppet driver left behind as the only evidence they were ever there.

  https://discord.gg/cXJxy6994W