149 THE PROPOSAL
"Shawn, who is Black Halo?" Exoren asked once they returned to the old mansion.
Shawn hesitated before replying, "He's Damen Dark."
Exoren frowned. "Damen Dark? Who is that?"
"He's from my high school," Shawn said. "The top student—smart, noisy, and always giving us trouble."
Nymeris folded her arms, disbelief written across her face. "A top student doesn't make him Black Halo… someone who's killed my teammates twice."
Shawn looked at her coldly. "When Umbros disappeared, it was because I sent him to teach Damen Dark a lesson. That was the first time Black Halo appeared in Melrose City."
Exoren's eyes narrowed. "Go on."
"Later, Black Halo appeared again—this time to rescue Dorin West and Eryn Veyran from our warehouse. Those two are Damen Dark's closest friends. There's a pattern."
He began listing more coincidences.
Dr. Revive sighed. "All of that is circumstantial …speculation at best."
"Perhaps," Shawn admitted, "but we're not a court of law. We just need a lead to find my father's killer."
At that moment, Dackerie entered the room.
"Dackerie, you're our tech specialist," Exoren said. "What do you think of Shawn's theory?"
Dackerie adjusted his lenses and brought up several holo-screens. "Everything matches as Master Shawn described—except this. We have these installed in Damen Dark's home."
The screens displayed footage of Damen Dark walking in and out of his room.
"These were recorded during the exact time of the Black Halo assault on our facility," Dackerie explained. "I've checked the videos. There is no tampering or fabrication."
Exoren leaned forward. "So, Damen Dark has an alibi?"
"Seems so," Dackerie said. "But even if he isn't Black Halo, he's definitely connected."
"Connected how?" Nymeris asked.
"It's more likely that Black Halo is a meta soldier from Fortress Myrone," Dackerie suggested. "Sent here to protect Damen Dark."
"Fortress Myrone?" Exoren repeated, his tone darkening. "What's their connection to him?"
"Damen's father," Dackerie said. "He served alongside Lord Nicaesa Myrone during the Old War. They were close comrades."
Exoren fell silent for a long moment, processing the implications. "If Fortress Myrone is involved, this is no longer our fight. Godfather will not want us crossing that line."
"But what about my father's vengeance?" Shawn demanded.
Exoren turned toward him. "That vengeance will have to wait. Stay away from Damen Dark and from Black Halo for now. We return to Silver City immediately."
------
Kail finally removed the last of the spy cameras from the basement. With the surveillance gone, Dorin and Lander emerged from the safe room, their faces drawn but relieved.
"Have you decided what you're going to do next?" Damen asked, watching Lander closely.
Lander exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's clear I can't go back to my detective agency. Too many people are after me now… but there's one case I still haven't solved."
"What case?" Dorin asked.
"The disappearances in the slums," Lander replied grimly. "Hundreds, maybe thousands, gone without a trace. There were no signs of struggle, no bodies. Something big is behind it—I can feel it."
"You can continue your investigation here, in GenSyn," Kail offered. "If you need field access, we can deploy drones or androids to gather data for you."
"Wouldn't that be too much trouble?" Lander asked.
"Not at all," Damen said. "You're welcome to stay as long as you need."
As he spoke, a shadow crossed Damen's mind.
He remembered the case—and how every lead pointed toward the Church of Rejuvenation.
He also knew the Alliance of Psyche had their hands in it, though he chose not to mention it aloud.
"Just be careful," Damen warned quietly. "Especially when it comes to the Church of Rejuvenation."
-----
[Melrose High School No. 2]
Damen and Zairgid returned to Melrose High School No. 2 on graduation day.
What should have been a moment of joy felt instead like a scene from a military checkpoint—soldiers patrolled the gates, their rifles slung across their chests, eyes scanning every student that passed.
Martial law had cast a shadow even on this last day of school.
The ceremony was short and restrained.
Principal Misk gave a perfunctory speech, his voice thin through the loudspeakers, before the names began to be called.
"Congratulations to Damen Dark," the principal announced, "the only student to achieve a perfect score in all three curriculums—Theory, Strength, and Meta."
A round of applause rippled through the hall, but Damen barely reacted.
Recognition had never mattered to him.
For most of his life, he'd preferred to stay invisible rather than become a target for bullies. But that version of him was gone. Now, the bullies had learned to fear him.
As Damen stepped down from the stage, a sudden movement caught his eye. All at once, the students stood. The soldiers immediately stiffened, their hands on their weapons, ready for trouble.
But it wasn't a revolt.
Music began to play, and the students started a synchronized dance—fluid, rehearsed, almost theatrical. They moved together, forming a giant heart at the center of the hall.
Then, the formation opened.
From within stepped Cyara Atheris.
"What the hell is happening…" Damen muttered under his breath.
Cyara walked toward him gracefully, dressed in a pale gown that shimmered under the lights. Her twin ponytails bounced lightly as she smiled, looking every bit like a fairy-tale princess come to life.
She took the mic and announced with confidence, "Damen Dark, you're going to be my partner at this year's Prom!"
The crowd erupted in gasps and whispers.
Damen froze, bewildered.
"What say you?" Cyara asked, her voice carrying across the hall.
He glanced toward Zairgid, who only grinned and gave him a thumbs-up.
"I don't even know you," Damen said bluntly.
Cyara smiled wider. "That's fine. We'll get to know each other very soon."
Damen glanced sideways at Zairgid, his lips barely moving as he muttered, "What the hell is a Prom?"
Zairgid pretended not to hear, suddenly very interested in the ceiling.
On stage, Principal Misk's forced smile was beginning to crack.
He clearly wasn't pleased with this spectacle interrupting his already tense graduation ceremony—but there was little he could do. The Atheris family was one of Silver City's most powerful houses, and their influence extended even into his office. Worse yet, they were major sponsors of the Zetheris family itself.
"Damen," Principal Misk said tightly, "why don't you just agree so we can move on?"
Damen blinked, completely lost.
He didn't even know what a Prom was supposed to be. He'd never been invited to one—never even imagined being the center of one.
Cyara's voice rang out, commanding attention again. "If you stay silent, I'll take it as a yes!"
Before Damen could respond, a voice cut through the hall.
"I object!"