"But you see, slaughtering all your families will waste a lot of ti. And right now, I need to take care of my son..."
Lyandra’s chained blade materialized in her hand, the weapon’s dark tal seeming to drink in the light around it.
Her smile widened as she looked at the four terrified A rank officers, her maternal warmth completely replaced by sothing that promised violence on scales they couldn’t comprehend.
"Now then... shall we discuss appropriate punishnt for those who try to hurt my son?"
The blade extended slightly, links rattling with soft tallic sounds that felt deafening in the tense silence.
Ashley tried to activate her defensive skills again and tried to do anything possible to protect herself.
But Lyandra’s hypnosis still held her completely, her body refusing to obey any commands.
’I’m going to die! She’s actually going to kill ! A mber of the Hundred Families, an S rank SFD officer, and I’m going to die in SFD headquarters because I detained a sixteen-year-old boy–’
Then both Alaric and Lyandra stopped moving simultaneously.
Their heads turned toward the building’s entrance, their expressions showing recognition mixed with irritation.
"Tch."
Alaric’s quiet sound of annoyance was the only warning before two figures walked through the frozen crowd outside and entered the Domain without any resistance.
****
The first man wore an SFD officer’s uniform, but the quality and cut marked him as senior leadership – expensive materials, perfectly tailored and insignia showing rank that made regular officers look like recruits.
He was middle-aged but sohow looked ageless, his features sharp and handso despite the years visible in his bearing.
But it was the second man who made everyone’s blood run cold.
He wore a black military uniform with crisp precision, a red armband on his left sleeve showing two letters in stark black: MP.
Military Police.
His visor cap sat at a perfect angle, shadowing his eyes.
Like his companion, he appeared middle-aged but with features that seed untouched by ti, handso in a way that made him morable.
The SFD officer walked slightly behind the military man, his body language showing unconscious deference despite his own high rank.
His face showed discomfort bordering on fear, sweat beading on his forehead despite the cool air.
They moved through the frozen headquarters, past officers locked in place by Alaric’s spatial manipulation, their presence drawing attention from everyone capable of seeing them.
****
The nobles frozen in the hallways felt their minds racing even as their bodies remained locked.
’Military Police! What the hell are they doing here?!’
’An MP officer in the Capitol? When was the last ti one of them showed their face outside military territory?!’
’We’re all dead! If the MP is involved, then soone really fucked up!’
The fear radiating from them was almost tangible, generations of ingrained terror responding to that red armband.
Because everyone knew what Military Police represented.
It didn’t represent law enforcent or investigation.
But... Judgnt.
The two n reached the interrogation wing where Alaric and Lyandra stood.
The military man’s voice carried clearly through the building despite speaking at normal volu, his words reaching every frozen person through Alaric’s Domain.
"Alaric... Can you release everyone?"
Alaric stood inside near Damian’s room, his silver eyes cold as they tracked the new arrival.
For a long mont, he didn’t move.
Then he waved his hand once and the Domain collapsed.
****
Everyone gasped simultaneously as control returned to their bodies, officers stumbling as frozen muscles suddenly responded again.
But nobody sighed with relief and nobody relaxed.
Every eye remained fixed on the man in the black uniform with the red armband, terror overriding the relief of being freed.
The military man walked forward, and people unconsciously parted before him like water around a stone.
Nobles looked down imdiately, their proud bearing crumbling in the presence of Military Police authority.
Regular officers pressed against walls, making themselves small.
Even Ashley, still kneeling where Lyandra had left her, felt her breath catch.
’Arch-Inquisitor rank... one of the highest positions in Military Police... What did we do? What the fuck did we do?!’
The military man reached Alaric and stopped, the two of them staring at each other across several feet of distance.
The atmosphere beca suffocating, tension building like pressure before a storm.
Then the military man’s face shifted, a slight smile appearing as he extended his hand.
"Long ti no see, my friend."
But... Alaric didn’t extend his hand.
He just gave the man an irritated look, his voice carrying annoyance rather than warmth.
"What are you doing here, Ezra? I didn’t expect an Arch-Inquisitor of the Military Police to be present in the Capitol of all places."
Ezra shrugged casually, dropping his hand without apparent offense.
"Well, a Council ergency session was about to take place... which from the looks of the chaos might not happen now."
His smile widened slightly.
"Your son is really... sothing. Turned the entire Federation upside down in less than forty-eight hours. I’m almost impressed."
The senior SFD officer who’d arrived with Ezra finally found his voice, stepping forward with visible effort.
"Excuse , I’m Senior Officer Herman, belonging to the Capitol SFD branch. On behalf of the departnt, I formally request that you release the officers who were simply performing their duties–"
Lyandra’s hand moved as her chained blade beca visible to the officer instantly.
She didn’t look at the SFD officer and didn’t acknowledge his existence at all.
Herman’s voice died mid-sentence, his face going pale.
Ezra glanced at Lyandra’s weapon, then at the four A rank officers who were now backing away slowly, then back to Lyandra with an expression approaching helplessness.
"Madam... can you please spare the S ranked ones at least?"
His tone was almost pleading, but his eyes showed he knew the answer already.
Herman tried to intervene, taking a step forward.
"Arch-Inquisitor Ezra, this is SFD jurisdiction! You can’t just–"
Ezra’s head turned, his eyes finding Herman with a look so cold that the senior officer’s words froze in his throat.
The ssage was clear without words being spoken.
’Shut! The! Fuck! Up!’
Herman stepped back, sweat now running freely down his face.
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