Emberclaw : Crimson Phase

The morning sun barely peeked through the grand Silvermist estate, yet tension already filled the air. The Silvermist family’s breakfast table, usually a place of casual conversation, had transformed into a war zone.

Frank was the first to react. "Father, what is the meaning of this?" His voice was sharp as he slammed his coffee cup onto the table. "You’re fixing the engagement of an eighteen-year-old boy? While some of your older sons remain single?"

Lee, his husband, sighed. "Calm down, Frank. This was Father’s decision. He must have thought it through."

Tay, seated at the head of the table, remained calm, his hands folded before him. "My daughters discovered that someone is developing feelings for Fourth. And trust me, it’s not good for his future. I’d rather place him in the hands of someone I trust than let a mistake ruin his life."

Pond and Dunk exchanged a glance before voicing their objections. "This is absurd! Fourth is too young!" Pond exclaimed. Dunk nodded in agreement. "You can't just arrange a marriage to fix a problem that may not even exist."

Nanon leaned back, arms crossed. "At the very least, make sure this ‘trustworthy’ person you’ve chosen truly is."

Fourth, the subject of the debate, finally stood. "Father, I have always respected your wishes. But I will not agree to an engagement with a stranger."

Tay’s expression hardened. "You don’t have a choice. It’s final. I won’t let someone else come into your life and destroy it."

Nanon scoffed, pushing back his chair. "I’ve had enough of this drama." Without another word, he left, leaving New at a loss for words.

Back in his room, Fourth's phone buzzed. He opened it to find a message from Gemini—an emotional confession. "I know things are messy right now, but please, Fourth. Whatever happens, know that my feelings for you are real. I only ask that you think about it seriously."

Realization dawned on him. Someone in his family must have hacked into his phone. That was the only explanation for how they knew Gemini had feelings for him. That was why they had rushed his engagement.

Meanwhile, Perth had already informed Gemini of the chaos at the Silvermist estate.

Kaira, upon hearing the news, was livid. "What kind of idiot are you?" she scolded Gemini. "Why would you send that message? If you had spoken to me first, we could have planned!"

Gemini lowered his head, unable to argue. Kaira exhaled sharply. "Don’t worry. I’ll do whatever it takes to stop this engagement."

Just then, Kaira’s phone rang. As she answered, her expression shifted from irritation to cold fury. "What did you say?"

Aou, their friend , had been bullied by Love and Film at the university.

Aou had been posing as a nerd to keep an eye on Kaira and Gemini. But today, Love and Film had spotted him alone in the library. Recognizing him as part of Gemini’s circle, they destroyed his books and poured water over his head. Aou, despite being a top-ranked bodyguard, had no choice but to endure it to maintain his cover.

That night, at a secluded basketball court, Kaira, Gemini, and their friends faced Love and Film. The opposition had brought an army of trained fighters, their confidence evident.

However, Love and Film's smirks faded as Aou appeared—not in his usual disguise, but in a sleek black turtleneck, his hair neatly styled, eyes filled with steel-cold fury. His glasses were gone. The transformation was chilling.

Boom, who had been pretending to side with Love and Film, stepped forward, wrapping an arm around Aou’s waist before pressing a brief kiss to his temple. "You dare lay a hand on my boyfriend?" he said smoothly, his voice edged with danger. "You won’t be leaving here unharmed."

Khathong, another of Love and Film’s trusted allies, and Boom's brother chuckled as he strolled over to First and threw an arm around him. "You walked right into our trap."

Love narrowed his eyes but kept his composure. "You think this changes anything? Our fighters aren’t just for show. And one more thing—we’ve made plans for your friend Nani."

At this, Kaira, Gemini, and Dew burst into laughter.

Aou raised an eyebrow. "What’s so funny?"

Dew smirked. "Sky is with Nani."

The realization dawned on them. Sky,a scorpion , an assassin trained to take down armies, was with Nani. Any attack planned against him was doomed from the start.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, Nani leaned against his sleek sports car, watching his boyfriend single-handedly demolish the attackers. Sky moved like a shadow, his strikes swift and merciless. His opponents lay groaning on the ground, some barely able to crawl.

Back at the basketball court, the battle had begun. But Love and Film had underestimated their opponents. Gemini, Kaira, and their friends had been trained for combat since childhood. Their movements were sharp, precise. Within moments, the enemy fighters were on the ground, gasping for breath. They are the heirs of mafia , It was obvious that this was a play fight for them .

At that moment, Nani and Sky arrived. Sky, with his usual calm but deadly aura, observed the scene with mild interest. Nani, however, walked up to his friends with a knowing smirk.

Gemini grinned. "Have fun watching your boyfriend destroy people?"

Nani shrugged. "What can I say? It was entertaining."

The battle was over, and victory belonged to Kaira’s group.

As Love and Film tried to escape, Kaira lunged, managing to grab Love by the hair. But with one desperate maneuver, Love slipped from her grasp, and both of them vanished into the night.

For now, the battle was won. But Kaira knew—this was far from over.