Nightblade (Darkest night)

A sleek black jet streaked through the night sky, travelling at near sonic speeds.

The snarling visage of a bear was engraved across its wings.

In the jet's luxurious passenger suite, a blond-haired young woman sat with her palm on her cheek, staring out the window.

She was dressed in a simple black jacket and dark designer jeans.

A fashionable black baseball cap hid most of her blonde hair from view.

The pale reflection of striking grey eyes reflected on a small window in the luxurious suite stared back at her.

The beautiful young woman quietly stared at the dark clouds outside surrounding the jet.

From time to time, flashes of lightning pierced through the nebulous clouds, heralding the imminent storm.

She silently gazed into the window, observing the raging storm outside, her eyes glazing over in deep thought.

" How long has it been? Three years?" She thought.

She had been only fifteen years old when her father had instructed her to move overseas to live with one of the branch families.

A move made to foster a deeper relationship between the main and branch families.

She had also trained relentlessly during that time, honing her skills and sharpening her mind with each passing day.

After what seemed like an eternity, she was finally returning home, summoned directly by her father.

Just then, one of the cabin crew approached her, a young dark-haired man, in a fitting uniform.

He offered her a perfunctory bow, then smiled warmly.

" Miss Nadia, we've almost arrived at our destination. Is there anything you need before we land?"

She offered him a polite smile, shaking her head.

The man bowed, then left her alone with her thoughts.

The sleek jet began its descent, cutting through the dark clouds and he falling rain like an aerodynamic scythe.

A few minutes later, the jet had landed t,taxiingsmoothly, then rolling to a stop at the private airstrip.

The rain fell in torrents, the heavy droplets pounding the tarmac with a fierce ferocity.

A dark motorcade of vehicles smoothly rolled down the runwa,y stopping just short of the tenebrous jet.

Their headligh cast bright beamsthat cut through the torrents of rain, illuminating the dark jet.

The jet's door smoothly rolled back, anda series of integrated steps flowed fluidly to the ground.

The blonde-haired lady gracefully stepped out with one of the cabin crew in tow, holding an umbrella over her.

The passenger door of one of the lead vehicles opened, and a talll brutish man stepped.

The man was clad in dark glasses that covered his eyes completely.

Elegantly clad in a long black overcoat and black suit, the man's entire appearance radiated a suffocating aura of intimidation.

He walked through the rain holding an equally tenebrous umbrella until he reached where the young woman stood.

" Miss Nadia," he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Nadia Varas scrutinized him coldly, then broke into a smile.

" It's good to see you, Uncle Drake."

Drake Varas was the younger brother of the head of the Varas family and also Vincent's right-hand man.

Behind the scenes, Drake was also the Varas' family head of black ops.

He was in charge of any dirty work that needed to be done to ensure the family's safety and the safekeeping of delicate information regarding House Varas.

His name was fearfully whispered through the upper echelons of the mundane underworld, where he was only known as the Spectre.

Mundane criminal organizations and supernatural ones alike went to great lengths to maintain civil relations with the mysterious man and his unknown ghostly operatives.

Once the Spectre came for you, there was nothing and no one on the planet that could save you.

If your name appeared on his hitlist, you immediately became a dead manwalkingg. Iwasn'tnt a matter of if you would die, it was simply a matter of when you would die.

This, of cou,rse was a bit of a hoifthat an equally powerful maestro showed up, the situation could become a bit tricky.

The silver lining was that the Great Houses rarely interfered in the affairs of other Houses, and the lesser houses and lone assassins knew when to back off.

Because of his somewhat unique position, he rarely appeared in public, opting to operate and pull the strings of the different organizations under the Varas family from the shadows.

But with the threat of the mysterious maestro looming across the Council's heads, no one could predict what could happen next, and Vincent was notwillingg to take any chances.

That was the reason why he had immediately summoned Nadia home, where he could cater for her protectiopersonallyly.

It was also the reason why Drake himself had made an appearance.

Vincent had entrusted Drake with the responsibility of ensuring his remaining daughter safely arrived back homBetweeneen the two brothers, Vincent was only slightly stronger than the revered Spectre of the underwoorld and if the two fought, no one was really sure who would triumph.

Which is why the infamous Spectre would be personally escorting Nadia back to Cromwell Hall.

Cromwell Hall served as the Varas' family's seat of power.

Just like Snow Ridge and the Thane estate, Cromwell Hall also had a dimensional rift connecting the Great House to the mysterious nebulous realm that was Tenebris.

Drake's usually stern face softened into a rare smile.

" How have you been, Nadia?

He enveloped her in a hug, then walked back to the waiting vehicle.

"How was Venice treating you? Did you like the sights?"

Nadia scoffed.

" Honestly, I was tired of the water, the gondolas, it's all so...ancient. Still there was akind of hauntingly beautiful allure to it all, so i can't say that i regret the time i spent there."

Her gaze softened.

"The branch family in Italy was also quite welcoming and hospitable for the whole time I was there. Hopefully, it wasn't because they were intimidated by you or Father."

Drake chuckled, opening the door for her.

It seemed his niece had had her fair share of adventures during her time abroad.

After securely locking it in place he circled round the large vehicle and climbed in.

" Move out."

The motorcade smoothly rolled down the runway and then exited the airport.

The highway was mostly free, so the vehicles zipped across the dark roads at jaw-dropping speeds, all the while maintaining the protective formation.

The drivers were mostly novices so driving above two hundred fifty kilometers per hour was a breeze for them due to their inhuman dynamic motion vision.

" What's father doing that's so important he couldn't come in person?"

Drake's demeanor turned serious.

It was almost like he was a different person.

" Your father is attending a meeting convened by the Council of Assassins. It concerns the recent disappearance of the aspirants at Pyreptar Academy."

A somber silence filled the car at the mention of the renown academy.

After a few moments, Nadia hesitantly asked the burning question.

" Talia, is she also among the missing?"

Drake silently nodded with a grim expression on his face.

" I wish I'd been there."

Nadia shook her head quietly, then leaned back in her seat.

Her Uncle Drake Varas, a.k.a the Spectre, was undoubtedly one of the strongest maestros in existence.

That said, every single member on the Council of Assassins was a force to be reckoned with.

Each man and woman on the Council couldn't be trifled with even as a joke.

That alone made the disappearance of the young aspirants all the more daunting.

It had happened right under their noses and the most powerful men and women in the entire World had failed to stop it from happening.

Nadia doubted there was anyone in the world who could have done better.

Nadia remembered her younger sister.

Talia had flowing locks of blonde hair just like he, the only difference being Talia's hazel eyes and her own striking grey ones.

The torrential rains had slowed down, turning into a light drizzle.

The motorcade swerved off the highway, entering a sprawling rural estate.

The muddy pathways made the route to the estate that housed Cromwell Hall all the more unassuming.

The Varas posed as farmers, owning some of the largest ranches in the entire World.

The Varas ranches provided meat for most of the country, which made for a reasonable explanation for their massive wealth.

The massive conglomerate that was the Varas group had stakes in most of the largest organizations in the world, with its only notable competitors being the McAllister Foundation, Dark Technologies, and the Snow group.

After a long while, the motorcade arrived in front of a luxurious villa that was the picture of wealth and opulence.

" It's a pleasure to have you back, Lady Nadia," Drake quietly said.

He opened the door for her, and the rest of the assassins silently bowed in front of her, forming two long columns.

" Thank you, uncle," Nadia said, her eyes glinting in determination.

Her gaze swept across the men and the villa behind them.

" Wait for me, Talia, I'm going to come and get you,"she thought.

She smiled sweetly at Drake, her grey eyes lighting up.

" You're right, dear Uncle, it truly is good to be back."