The Calm Before the Storm

The night was unnaturally still. Nereus stood at the window of Victor's mansion, staring out into the inky darkness. The ocean was barely visible in the distance, but he could feel it—its pulse in the back of his mind, like a heartbeat synced with his own.

Something was coming, and the weight of that realization hung heavy in the air.Victor entered the room quietly, his presence grounding, as always.

He approached Nereus, stopping beside him to look out at the horizon. His sharp, calculating eyes were focused on the darkness, ever the vigilant protector.

"You haven't said much since earlier," Victor remarked, his tone soft, but with a firmness that demanded the truth.Nereus sighed, placing a hand on the cool glass of the window.

"It's hard to explain. The ocean… it feels different. It's restless. Something is coming, Victor."

Victor's gaze flickered briefly to Nereus before returning to the shadows outside.

"And you don't think it's the Trident?"Nereus shook his head. "No, it's not just them. It's something bigger. I can feel it in my bones."Victor was silent for a moment, digesting the words.

His natural instinct was to trust only what he could see and control, but over the past weeks, Nereus had shown him things he never thought possible. He had to trust Nereus's intuition, even if it defied logic.

"I'll double the security detail around the perimeter," Victor finally said, his voice filled with quiet resolve. "We'll be ready for whatever it is."Nereus appreciated the gesture, but he wasn't sure if more guards would be enough this time.

There was something deeply unsettling about the feeling gnawing at him, something primal and ancient, as if the ocean itself was warning him of a danger too great for any human defenses to withstand.Victor turned toward Nereus, sensing the unease radiating from him. His hand found Nereus's shoulder, firm yet gentle.

"We've faced worse before."

Nereus met his gaze, and for a moment, he found comfort in Victor's steady presence. "I don't want anything to happen to you," Nereus whispered, surprising himself with the raw vulnerability in his voice.Victor's expression softened, his thumb brushing gently against Nereus's shoulder.

"Nothing's going to happen to me. I'm not that easy to take down."

Nereus managed a small smile, though his heart still felt heavy with worry. He turned away from the window and allowed Victor's touch to anchor him in the present. Being with Victor had changed everything for him. The ocean, once his only home, now felt distant compared to the life they had begun to build together.

But it also meant he had more to lose.Victor's hand moved from his shoulder to cup Nereus's face, his dark eyes searching Nereus's. "You worry too much.""I have reasons to," Nereus replied, leaning into Victor's touch.

"There's so much I don't understand about this world. So much I can't control."Victor's lips quirked into a faint smile. "You're not the only one who feels that way." He stepped closer, closing the distance between them. "But you don't have to face it alone."The words settled in Nereus's chest, a warmth spreading through him as Victor's thumb brushed along his jaw.

The tension in the room seemed to ease, if only for a moment. Nereus reached up, placing his hand over Victor's, savoring the quiet connection between them.But before he could respond, a distant crash echoed from the shore, cutting through the stillness of the night. Nereus tensed immediately, his instincts flaring.

He whipped around to face the window, scanning the horizon. The ocean was no longer calm—the waves had grown restless, crashing against the shore with an intensity that hadn't been there moments before.Victor's expression hardened.

"What is it?"Nereus's heart pounded in his chest. "It's starting."Without another word, Victor turned and strode toward the door, his demeanor shifting back into the cold, calculating leader he was known to be.

Nereus followed close behind, his own pulse quickening with a mix of fear and anticipation.As they descended the stairs, Luca appeared, already alert and armed, his expression grim.

"We've got activity on the perimeter," he said, falling into step beside Victor. "Could be the Trident making their move."Victor nodded, his mind working quickly to assess the situation.

"Double the guards at the entrances. I want the mansion locked down."Luca didn't hesitate, already relaying orders into his earpiece.

Nereus glanced between the two men, feeling a pang of guilt. He had dragged them into this—into a danger they couldn't fully comprehend. But there was no turning back now. Whatever was coming, they had to face it together.

As they reached the main floor, the mansion buzzed with activity. Armed guards moved swiftly to secure the area, their faces tense with the anticipation of a fight.

Nereus could feel the energy in the air—sharp, electric, like the seconds before a storm hit.Victor paused by the grand front doors, turning to Nereus.

"Stay close to me."Nereus nodded, his throat tight with anxiety. He could feel the ocean's pull growing stronger, an insistent call that thrummed in his veins.

Something was wrong, deeply wrong.They stepped outside, the cool night air biting against Nereus's skin. The sky was dark, clouds rolling in, blotting out the stars.

The ocean churned violently in the distance, its once tranquil surface now a maelstrom of rising waves.Luca cursed under his breath.

"What the hell is going on out there?"Nereus knew. The ocean was reacting to something—something ancient and powerful. He could feel it in every fiber of his being.

The balance had been disturbed, and now the consequences were unfolding."There's more than just the Trident at play here," Nereus said quietly, his voice barely audible over the sound of the wind picking up.

"Something else is coming."Victor's jaw clenched, his eyes scanning the horizon.

"Then we'll deal with it."But Nereus wasn't sure this was something they could fight. The ocean was alive with a fury that he had never felt before, and it was headed straight for them.

A sudden explosion rocked the shoreline, and Nereus's heart leaped into his throat. Fire lit up the night sky as part of the beach erupted into chaos.

Armed men—Trident's forces—were swarming the perimeter, and the battle had begun.Victor was already moving, barking orders to his men, his mind sharp and focused.

But as Nereus watched the chaos unfold, he felt a deep, primal fear rising inside him. This was just the beginning.

The storm had arrived.