Strike At Midnight || Luka Couffaine

Chapter 23 ❧ World Turns Upside Down

He stands up from his chair, making me back away. His towering figure casts an ominous shadow over me. His blank expression reveals nothing but a calm gaze. "You don't have a choice."

"I should have a say in this," Grimm speaks up. "I was very close to the LeClaires before and I ought to remain alongside their daughter."

I clasp my hands, bending down. "Please you have to listen to me. If we have the power to help the people out there, we should!"

"I cannot trust you to do the right thing," Master Shou says. "I heard about you invasion of a school. You acted out like the Sunbird himself."

"I didn't attack the school!" I vindicate myself. "Volpina  had cast her illusions to frame me."

"Then can I take your word that you never tried to harm another being for your own selfish needs?"

His firm words rattle my core, silencing me abruptly.

Master Fu's small figure walks up to Master Shou. Placing a hand on his shoulder, Master Fu says, "Let the young woman give her side. Nothing is ever only black and white- she must have her own reason."

"I-I made many mistakes. I can't deny that," I stare at my hands as my fingers fidget anxiously. "But I'm willing to fix them."

"You can't fix a broken miraculous if you continue your own antics," Master Shou objects.

"If that is true, then I would already be broken. Master, Selene could have thrown me away because of the past but she didn't. Please give her one last chance," Grimm pleads.

"I've done wrong, I know. I wanted to bring back Emilie, back when I didn't know I could still heal. Now Hawkmoth, with his plans, is disrespecting her and I have to end it before it gets any worse."

"It's already severely worse," Master Fu says. "I've already posted several heroes, but the situation outside remains in dire help even with Ladybug and Chat Noir."

"I don't need a girl to play hero, I just want you to do what is right," Master Shou tells me. "I need to discuss this with Fu. Could you excuse us?"

I retreat to the separate room. Pressing my ear against the closed door, I try to make sense of their hushed voices but to no avail. Instead, I try to call my friends and confirm their safety during the sudden turn of events. Rose doesn't pick up, Marinette's switches to voice mail, of course she's probably in the field.

As I'm about to call Juleka, my phone rings at its own accord. Adrien's contact number appears on my phone screen. Answering it instantly, I say, "Adrien! Are you all right? Are you at home?"

"No he isn't," The other end emits Nathalie's dry voice. "Where are you keeping him?"

"What do you mean? Adrien is not there?" I demand, fear sprouting in my stomach.

Nathalie doesn't answer instead, she demands in return, "I can hear through your bluffs, Selene. Where are you keeping Adrien? I tried searching for him at school but he seems to have left."

"I don't know where he is," I say. I may have an inkling as to where he is but I assumed that he returned home where he's safe and guarded by his personal security.

"If you insist on misleading us, I could track your location this instant," Nathalie says.

"He isn't with me! Sure bring in a search party to this location. Go and waste your time! Even if I know where he is, I wouldn't direct him to the very source of the chaos now," I yell in fury- rage causing my blood to boil.

Nathalie goes silent for a second before she warns, dripping with malice, "He may not be with you now, but you must know where he's hiding. How about a trade?"

"I want nothing from you," I snap.

"You will once you here this. I detained one of your friends. Believe my shock when I found out, he was acting as Viperion."

My brain stutters for a moment. Even the slightest of noises in the room quietens as every part of me goes on pause. "You have Luka?"

"And soon, every superhero obstructing our path. We'll even have Ms Dupain-Cheng soon enough."

"Wait. You can't do this," I say, rather faintly and breathless.

"I'll give you a day to decide," Nathalie finishes before ending the call. My knees buckle on to floor as the world turns upside down.

"Oh God, Selene," Grimm says, for the first time- lacking the right words.

Before I could respond- I really had nothing to say- my phone rings again. I'm tempted to hurl the gadget across the room, when I realise who's calling. I answer without hesitation. "Juleka..."

From the other end, I could hear sobs racked with grief. "Where are you? Are you safe?"

"I'm fine, but what about Luka and Rose?"

"Rose is with me, but Selene-" devastating sobs interrupt her. "I can't find Luka! H-he still somewhere out there-" Juleka couldn't bring herself to finish her sentence. "M-mom wants to go out to look for him."

"Don't! Stay indoors," I order although I shouldn't have a say. "I promise- I'll find him. I'll get him back."

"Selene, I-I don't know what happening and about the secrets you're keeping- especially as the Blood Bat, but don't- don't throw yourself into danger," Juleka pleads.

"Thank you for trusting me, Juleka," I say gratefully- eyes brimming with tears. The calls comes to an abrupt stop as the signal starts flickering.

"I have to get him back," I tell Grimm, but mostly to hear the words for myself. I'm finally aware of the pressure weighing down on me. "I have to stop Hawkmoth for good."

"We have to," Grimm reminds me.  "And we will."

The door slides open and I jump back to my feet. I can't accept their decision if they refuse me. In all honesty, I'm not a superhero. But if my loved ones' lives are on the line, I'm willing to save the world for them.

"This isn't a game," Master Shou says, his blank gaze facing my direction. "Prove to me you can handle yourself in the heat of battle. You can't depend on miracles to decide your fate."

Master Shou enters the room as Master Fu remains at the doorway. I spot the long, slender staff in Master Shou's hand and I'm suddenly aware of the rising tension in the air. "Do you mean a fight?"

"I am challenging you. Whoever falls to the floor first will affect the final decision."

Does he mean an actual fight?! "Can I transform?"

"Do whatever you wish," he says.

"Are you sure? I could hurt you," I say hesitantly. He is blind after all, regardless of his height.

He chuckles- an odd contrast to how he carries himself- and adopts a stance. He appears undaunted by his apparent disability. "Focus, Selene."

"Three," Master Fu announces. "Two..."

"Grimm, witching hour!" I say, transforming. Adrenaline courses through my veins, spurring me on and keeping me alert. I only have one shot and I have to succeed.

"One...commence!"

•●•●•●•●•

Hey, everybody. I may have some bad news. This update is unusually late in the day and I apologise. I don't have an update for this week.

I'm on a transition from secondary school (high school) to junior college/polytechnic. I'm receiving my results tomorrow and basically it's going to be a turning point in my life- not to be dramatic or anything.

For the next five days, I'm going to decide which schools I want to get in based on the list I'm eligible to go to. I'm visiting a bunch of school open houses. It's already pretty hectic. At the latest, I'll return on the 22nd Jan.

I hope you understand! Hehe I'm kinda scared to see my results.