A Thorne In His Side

Approaching the entrance, Kento skipped the line and walked directly to the bouncer, a towering, hulking man going by the nickname "Brick". The story behind the bizarre nickname? Simple. He was built like a brick shithouse. Kento chuckled; thinking about it was always funny, especially considering that it was Brick himself that chose that nickname. Brick was a werewolf, a towering man over 6.2" with bulging muscles that his black shirt could barely contain. His face was rough, adorned with a long, black, well-groomed beard that made his yellow eyes – a unique characteristic of werewolves – stand out even more. He was a hairy man; except for his shining, bald head that reflected the neon lights of the alleyway.

"Oh, it's Kenny!", Brick shouted. "Long time no see, brother. Been busy lately?"

"You know how it is in the Family, Brick," Kento replied with a big smile. "No rest for the wicked," he said.

"They actually made you work this time?" Brick said with a hint of genuine surprise. "Maybe the world's ending."

"Oh, shut up," Kento said in mock outrage. "Let me in, I have a few months of debauchery to catch up with," he said, grinning.

"That's the Kenny I know and love!" Brick said with a beaming smile. "Go right in, leave your things with Marie… I bet she'd love to see you," he said, erupting in hearty laughter.

Kento laughed and walked in. Entering the foyer, he approached the door girl, Marie.

"Hey gorgeous," he said, smirking. Marie was a half-elf with flowing chestnut hair and sparkling green eyes. Kento checked out her hourglass figure in an exaggerated, noticeable manner and whistled; "you get prettier every time I see you," he said.

"Nice try, Ken," Marie said with a scoff, although Kento could see she was blushing a little. "You know the drill, artifacts and phones go in the tray," she said.

"Yeah, yeah," Kento said, taking off his ring and putting it on the tray, alongside his phone. He also took off his jacket and put it on the counter. Marie collected everything and gave him a ticket.

"Take good care of my things, Marie. I'll be back for them – and for you," Kento said with a grin.

"Oh, cut it out!" Marie said with a pout that briefly turned into a half smile. "Have fun," she said, rolling her eyes and going back to her work.

"I'm sure I will," Kento replied as he finally walked into The Underworld.

As Kento calmly moved through the corridors of the club, he couldn't help but wince at the kaleidoscope of sights and sounds that assaulted his senses. The air crackled with latent magic, the scent of incense mingling with the tang of sweat, and a mixture of other, stranger smells. Even with the Rune of Concealment active, the energy was so thick that he could still sense it. He shifted his pose, slightly slouching, and ruffled his hair a bit. He moved through the dance floor while slightly rocking his body to the rhythm of the music, blending in with the crowd.

Looking at the VIP section, he finally saw his target. Thorne navigated the crowd with an air of effortless authority, his presence commanding respect and fear in equal measure. Creatures of all shapes and sizes paid homage to the sorcerer, eager to engage in the clandestine transactions that were the lifeblood of The Underworld. Kento decided that he'd enter the VIP section and approach Thorne under the pretense of wanting to hire him on behalf of the Salvatore family.

Yet, just as Kento prepared to approach, chaos erupted within the club. An explosion of energy rippled through the crowd, sending panicked voices echoing off the walls. In the ensuing commotion, Thorne quickly slipped away, leaving Kento to curse his luck and prepare himself for a possible battle. As chaos erupted within The Underworld, Kento's instincts kicked into overdrive. His senses heightened; he navigated through the panicked crowd with ease, his mind focusing on the hunt. Bodies jostled against him, voices clamored in alarm, but Kento remained focused, his eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of Thorne's presence.

Amidst the turmoil, he couldn't help but notice what the confused and terrified patrons of the club were saying. Some spoke of a confrontation between powerful entities, while others muttered nonsense about a rift torn open between worlds. Unfazed by their blabber, Kento pressed on, undoing the Rune of Concealment. Now that someone had triggered the sensors, his presence as an Outcast would be masked. His powers, free from suppression, now surged within him like a raging tempest. Aether coursed through his veins, granting him immunity to Thorne's sorcery; he had activated an invisibility spell that Kento could now see through, following him as he ran to safety.

He followed Thorne's trail like a bloodhound on scent, leading him deeper into the heart of The Underworld and the source of the commotion. Finally, at the back of the club, the VIP area reserved for the proprietor and his guests, Kento found himself face to face with Thorne, the sorcerer's presence casting a long shadow over the chaos that engulfed them. But, as their eyes met, Kento sensed something different, something unsettling lurking nearby. Thorne's usual air of confidence was tinged with uncertainty, his eyes betraying a hint of fear that alarmed Kento.

Without a word, Kento moved closer, his gaze never leaving Thorne as he sought answers to the questions he needed answered. But, before he could speak to him, a voice echoed through the chamber, cutting through the tension like a knife through butter. It was not Thorne who spoke, but another figure cloaked in shadow, their features seemingly flickering eerily. It spoke of prophecies and ancient vendettas, of powers far beyond mortal comprehension unleashed upon the world, about the return of the fallen. Suddenly, as it spoke, the figure was assaulted by crimson spears that dissolved into liquid and reformed as various projectiles, relentlessly assaulting the mysterious being.

"Blood magic," Kento muttered under his breath, knowing only one species that held this power.

As if reading his thoughts, a seemingly young, pale man with long, blonde hair and striking features appeared in front of him, extending a claw from his left index finger to cut his forearm; blood was drawn from the wound, forming a crimson longsword in his right hand. "I guess the rumors were true," Kento said.

"Gentlemen, I apologize for the disturbance on behalf of the establishment," the man said, smiling, as if what happened was a minor inconvenience. Kento noticed his eyes, black sclera with a crimson irises. A vampire; and high rank one at that.

"Please leave through the back exit," he said, politely, yet in a tone that indicated absolute authority. Kento and Thorne complied, running through the exit door into the VIP parking lot. As the door closed behind them, all sounds ceased from inside the club, as if nothing was happening. As Thorne turned to leave, Kento stood in his way, stopping him.

"What brings you here, Salvatore?" Thorne's voice cut through the air, his tone veiled with a mix of curiosity and disdain.

"I'm here for answers, Thorne," Kento replied, his voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins. "Constantine St. John. Where is he?"

Thorne's lips curled into a sardonic smile. "Ah, the Outcast. How charming of you to take an interest in my affairs!"

Kento's patience waned, his resolve hardening as he demanded, "Tell me where he is, and who hired you to cover up the incident."

But Thorne's response was a mere chuckle, his demeanor infuriatingly composed. "You're in no position to make demands, human! And some secrets are worth far more than the lives of insignificant pawns."

With a flicker of frustration, Kento's hand instinctively reached for his ring, briefly forgetting that he had left it in the club. This, however, didn't deter him; after all, he didn't need weapons to defeat Thorne.

"You want to fight me, boy?" Thorne sneered. "Why do the Salvatores care about the Outcast to begin with? Who told you? If you play nice and tell me I can avoid resorting to violence – out of respect for your father, if anything."

"Perhaps you're right, Thorne," Kento said, his tone dripping with mock sincerity. "After all, why resort to violence when I can simply show you the truth?"

With a wave of his hand, Kento unleashed the full force of his powers, weaving a tapestry of deception that twisted reality itself. Shadows danced and swirled around them, distorting the very fabric of the air around them. Thorne's expression shifted from smug superiority to bewildered confusion as the illusion took hold. He stumbled backward, his eyes darting frantically as he struggled to make sense of the surreal scene unfolding before him. He quickly weaved a barrage of attacks against Kento, to no avail; his eyes widened in disbelief as his magic failed him, his spells dissipating into thin air like smoke in the wind.

"You... you're an Outcast," the mage stammered, his voice trembling with fear and disbelief. "But that's impossible!"

"Is it now?" Kento replied, his eyes flashing crimson as he slowly approached Thorne. Thorne's eyes widened, his expression quickly becoming a mask of sheer terror.

"Wha-what is this?" Thorne stammered, his voice trembling with uncertainty.

"It's the truth, Thorne," Kento replied, his voice cutting through the chaos with icy precision, aether surging around him. "The truth that you've spent so long trying to bury, Thorne."

As Thorne's mind succumbed to the illusion, confronted by his deepest fears, his defenses crumbled like a house of cards. With a final, desperate scream, he collapsed to the ground, his life force drained by the sheer force of his own fear. As the illusion dissipated, leaving nothing but silence in its wake, Kento stood over Thorne's lifeless body, his chest heaving with exertion but his gaze cold and unforgiving. This technique was very taxing for him, but it had the benefit of leaving no traces that could lead back to him – after all, Peter Thorne technically died from a heart attack. Kento momentarily wondered what Thorne had seen in the illusion, but quickly dismissed the thought. He had work to do.

"The truth dies with you, Thorne," Kento murmured. Bending over his body, he pulled a ledger from his inner jacket pocket – the very ledger he had seen Thorne reading outside The Underworld earlier. He quickly rifled through the pages.

"Silver Haven," he thought. "I should call Marcus."

With Thorne's demise, Kento's mission was complete, but he knew that this was only the beginning.