Mutant awakening: My evolution knows no bounds

Sir Dominic's voice faltered for a second, his eyes dropping to the polished wood of his desk. The silence that followed was suffocating.

"Your son wasn't the only one who perished," he continued, his voice regaining some steadiness. "We lost other top staff members as well. It was a devastating loss."

The office descended into a heavy silence. Caspian sat rigidly, arms folded across his chest, his face a cold mask of grief and fury. The air felt oppressive, each second stretching endlessly.

"To be honest," Caspian said after a long pause, his voice brittle, "I'm shocked that a Sycrax presence was discovered on the Agogjie planet. I always believed that was one of the safest places, especially with civilians living there." His words dripped with bitter disbelief.

"That's what we thought too," Sir Dominic admitted, the exhaustion evident in his voice. "But it seems nowhere is safe anymore, not even a planet like Agogjie. We warned the inhabitants, advised them to leave for their own safety. But they refused. They can't afford the tokens necessary to live on Earth, so they chose to stay, even if it means risking their lives."

"Well, that's on them," Caspian replied coldly. He leaned forward, his piercing eyes locking onto Sir Dominic's. He placed his forearms on the desk, his presence radiating menace. "You know I didn't come all this way for nothing, right?" he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Your touching explanation doesn't change the fact that my son died on your watch. That is not acceptable."

His words were like a whip crack, and a shiver ran down Sir Dominic's spine. He swallowed hard, the lump in his throat almost choking him.

"Why shouldn't I burn this entire place to the ground?" Caspian continued, his voice dripping with venom. "I could start here and now — and when I'm done, I'll move on to the other arcs of the mutant academy and reduce them to ashes."

The room felt like it was closing in. Sir Dominic's palms grew clammy, his heartbeat thudding in his ears. He knew Caspian was capable of following through on his threat. Desperation clawed at him.

"What if..." Sir Dominic began, his voice barely above a whisper. He took a steadying breath, summoning all the courage he could muster. "What if I offer you something in exchange? Something that could be far more valuable. Spare us, and you'll have what you've been searching for."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Caspian's eyes narrowed. He leaned back, folding his arms across his chest. "Offer me something?" he repeated, his tone laced with skepticism. "Speak. What could you possibly offer me that I don't already possess?"

Sir Dominic's eyes met his, resolute. "The artifact of the Apex Mutant."

The room seemed to freeze. Caspian's eyes widened in shock, his rigid posture softening as disbelief flickered across his face. Even Kara, who had been silent until now, gasped quietly, her eyes betraying her astonishment.

"What did you say?" Caspian blurted out, his voice low but urgent. "You found the artifact?"

"Several weeks ago, we detected the artifact in a Grade 5 realm," Sir Dominic explained, his voice steady despite the tension in the room. "We dispatched a team to retrieve it, but they were slaughtered. The artifact vanished after that. However, I believe someone in this academy obtained its power — someone who was in that realm on that day. I'm not certain yet, but I'm asking for time to investigate. I need to confirm my suspicions."

Caspian's gaze hardened. "And what made you suspect this person?"

"He's been involved in too many dangerous incidents lately. He's walked away from situations that no one else could have survived. There have also been reports — complaints, even. A certain staff member voiced his suspicions, but at the time, we dismissed his claims as absurd."

"And where is this staff member now?" Caspian demanded.

"He left the academy to form a guild of his own. At least, that's what his resignation letter claimed," Sir Dominic said, his eyes flickering to Kara for a moment. The truth was far more sinister. The staff member he was referring to was Sensei Josh, and the letter was a cover story Kara had crafted to conceal the truth. After Silas killed Sensei Josh, Kara had helped him erase all evidence of his involvement.

"I know this may sound hard to believe, Mr. Cobrafang," Sir Dominic pleaded, his voice low and sincere. "But you've been searching for this artifact for years. Now, it's finally within reach. Even you can sense it, can't you? All I ask is a little time to confirm it. Trust me, and I won't let you down."

Caspian's face was a storm of conflicting emotions. He sat in silence, the seconds dragging on like hours.

Finally, he spoke, his voice an icy whisper. "You have one month, Dominic. One month to bring me the artifact of the Apex Mutant — or the person who wields its power. If you fail..." His eyes burned with cold fury. "You'll be the first to die."

The threat hung in the air like a death sentence, the room suffocating under its weight.

"I'll see you in a month, Dominic. Do take care of yourself." Caspian said as he rose to his feet. "Also, my offer still stands." He added.

"What offer?" Sir Dominic asked with a slight look of puzzle evident on his face.

"Taking her with me and making her my personal assistant. She will be paid handsomely, trust me." Caspian replied.

"It's not my decision to make, Mr. Cobrafang. You should ask her yourself. She's right here." Sir Dominic replied.

Caspian shifted his his gaze towards Kara who was standing beside Sir Dominic.

"What do you say, Angel?" Caspian asked.

"I'll have to think about it first." Kara muttered.

"Very well. I'll be back in a month." Caspian nodded as he turned around and walked away with his men.

With Caspian gone, Sir Dominic leaned backwards and let out a heavy sigh while wiping the beads of sweat off his forehead.

"What are you going to do now, Sir? You promised him the artifact when you knew we lost it already." Kara spoke up after a few moments of silence.

"We didn't lose it. It has always been here. Someone obtained the power that day, and right now I only have one student in mind." Sir Dominic replied confidently.

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50 Golden Tickets= 3 extra chapters.