LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 4: Chapter 4:
The night was still, broken only by the crackling of the fire in the hearth. Anya sat at a long wooden table, the weight of the day's training still pressing down on her. The fortress had become both her home and her cage, and the longer she stayed, the more she felt the walls closing in.
Madden's words echoed in her mind: You will lead us.
But could she truly lead the Dragon Clan? Was she ready to take the place of her father, to inherit his power, his legacy? The thought sent a chill down her spine. The clan, her father's world—it wasn't a world she had chosen. It wasn't even a world she had wanted. Yet it was the only world left for her now.
The door to the room opened quietly, and Madden stepped in, his eyes scanning the space before settling on her. He didn't say a word at first, his presence looming over her like an invisible storm.
Anya looked up at him, her hands still gripping the edge of the table. "What now?" she asked, her voice steady despite the tumult raging inside her.
Madden tilted his head slightly, his gaze sharpening. "We're getting closer. The ones who killed your father—they're not far from here."
Anya's pulse quickened, a mixture of fear and anticipation flooding her chest. "And then what?"
"Then we strike."
There was no hesitation in his voice. It was cold, deliberate—a promise, not a question.
Anya stood up abruptly, her chair scraping against the stone floor. "And you'll be there?" she asked, meeting his eyes. "I've been training for weeks, but I'm still not ready. I need more time."
Madden's lips curled into a thin smile, but there was no warmth in it. "Time is something you no longer have."
Anya felt her anger rise, sharp and biting. "You don't understand. I'm not ready to take my father's place. I'm not ready to lead this—this... clan. It's too much."
Madden stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. "You think your father had time to prepare? Do you think he ever truly felt ready? The world doesn't wait for you to be ready. It takes what it wants, and if you want to survive, you must take it back. The Dragon Clan is your birthright. It's who you are."
Anya's breath caught in her throat, and for a moment, the world seemed to tilt. Was he right? Was this really her fate? Had her father known that she would one day inherit this dark legacy? The idea of becoming the person Madden believed she could be—cold, ruthless, powerful—sent a shiver down her spine.
She shook her head. "I don't know if I can do this."
Madden didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a small, silver knife, its blade gleaming in the dim light.
"This," he said softly, holding it out to her, "is a gift from your father."
Anya's fingers trembled as she took the knife from his outstretched hand. The handle was engraved with the same dragon insignia that had been her family's mark for generations. As she held it, memories of her father flooded her mind—his stern, yet loving, gaze; the way he would hold her when she was a child, teaching her how to wield a weapon.
A flicker of grief washed over her, and for the first time in days, Anya allowed herself to feel the weight of her loss. Her father was gone, and in his place was this man—Madden Orlov—telling her she was destined to follow in his footsteps.
"You will lead us," Madden repeated, his voice firm, almost a command. "But first, you must decide. Is this the truth, or is it a lie?"
Anya stared at the knife, feeling its cold metal bite into her palm. The truth was painful—unbearable, even. But was it a lie? Could it be?
Madden stepped back, giving her space. His gaze lingered on her, waiting for her to make the decision that would change everything.
Anya's heart raced. Her mind spun with conflicting thoughts. She could walk away, reject this world that had taken everything from her. Or she could embrace it, let it consume her, and exact the vengeance she craved. There was no turning back now.
For a long moment, she stood frozen, the weight of her decision pressing down on her.
Finally, she looked up at Madden, her eyes steely with resolve.
"I'm not my father," she said quietly. "But I will be something else. Something worse. And I will make them pay."
Madden's lips parted in a ghost of a smile. "Good. You've made the right choice."
With that, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving Anya alone with the silence and the cold blade that would soon become an extension of herself. The truth was no longer a question. She had chosen her path.
And now, there was no turning back.