WRAITHBOUND ASCENTION

The shockwave from Grace's awakening rippled through the diner, sending a gust of wind that rattled the broken windows and overturned chairs. Lucky froze, his heart pounding as he turned to face his daughter.

Grace stood in the center of the room, her small frame glowing with a soft, golden light. Her eyes, wide and unblinking, shimmered with an otherworldly hue, as if the stars themselves had been captured within them. The air around her seemed to hum with energy, and Lucky could feel it.

It was the same power that now coursed through his own veins, but purer, brighter, and far more intense.

"Grace...?"

His voice was barely a whisper, but it was enough to break the spell. The light around Grace dimmed, and she blinked, her eyes returning to their normal, innocent brown. She looked up at him, confusion and fear etched across her face.

"Daddy... what happened? I felt... I felt something inside me. Like... like I was floating, but also sinking. And then... I saw things. Things I don't understand."

Lucky knelt in front of her, his hands resting on her shoulders. He could feel the energy radiating from her, warm and alive, like the sun breaking through a storm.

"It's okay, munchkin. You're okay. I felt it too. Whatever's happening... we're in this together, alright?"

Grace nodded, her lower lip trembling. She clung to him, her small hands gripping his shirt tightly.

"I'm scared, Daddy."

"I know, munchkin. I know. But am here darling , nothing is going to hurt you. I promise."

He held her for a moment, his mind racing. The world outside was falling apart, and now Grace had also awakened. He had no idea what that meant for grace but he had already become stalwart in his resolve.

He was going to protect her.

The sound of screams and chaos outside grew louder, snapping Lucky back to reality. He glanced at the barricaded door, his instincts screaming at him to move. He wanted to get Grace as far away from that abomination as possible.

Puchi !!

Another unlucky man was crushed, his head popped like a juice filled boba under pressure.

"We can't stay here, Grace. We need to go."

Grace looked up at him, her eyes filled with fear but also trust.

"Where are we going, Daddy?"

"Somewhere safe. Somewhere we can figure out what's happening. But we need to move fast, okay?"

Grace nodded, and Lucky took her hand, leading her toward the back door. He pushed aside the barricade he had set up earlier and peeked outside. The alley was empty, but the sounds of chaos echoed from the main street.

"Stay close to me, munchkin. No matter what happens, don't let go of my hand."

Grace tightened her grip on his hand, and Lucky stepped out into the alley, his senses on high alert. The air was thick with smoke and the acrid smell of burning metal, and the ground beneath his feet trembled with distant explosions.

They moved quickly, sticking to the shadows as they made their way through the ruined city while Lucky made mental notes of the situation upon them.

Leading Grace by the hand, Lucky noticed a few more abominations moving and hunting in the city. They openly walked like mindless beasts,tearing and killing every being they sensed.

Now, the city that had survivers was relatively barren. Those who saw the mindless abominations hid or ran for their lives. Others panics and screamed, but there fate was obvious. The abominations seemed to have keen ears. Responding by gutting those who couldn't help but yelp.

Whenever Lucky came across one or see one from a far, he would readily retreat stealthily to find another route.

They continued doing this over and over again, making their way to a warehouse. A destination decided upon by Lucky. One of his own warehouse, a place he was sure some of his men were.

His thinking was simple: Get to the warehouse, round up loyal surbodinate and get the hell out of this city. As for where they would go, Lucky had a few places in mind.

Grace tugged Lucky's hand, cleverly showing that she was tired and needed rest.

But now was not the time and place for rest.

Lucky could have carried her in his arms but had strategically decided against this. His right hand was always at his gun holster while his left holding Grace. He was ready, ready to draw fire and kill whatever transgression showsed up as they transverse the city.

Knowing himself, he had initially thought he wouldn't even hesitate luring the abominations away to give Grace a chance to escape.

But what after that? Was grace strong enough to survive what came next?

No !! Grace needed him, and so he should make sure they don't run into any of those things.

He needed to shield her from all threats, wether it was abominations from hell or even the devil himself.Lucky was ready to face him.

But were all threats external ?

What about what was happening to them..?

To her..?

Her awakening had been different from his. The energy she radiated was purer, brighter, insinuating that she had tapped into something far greater than he had, something that could potentially become a problem.

"Daddy... I feel it again."

Lucky glanced down at her, his heart skipping a beat.

"What do you feel, munchkin?"

"It's like... like there's something inside me. Something big. And it's trying to tell me something."

Lucky frowned, his grip on her hand tightening.

"What's it trying to tell you?"

Grace hesitated, her brow furrowing in concentration.

"I don't know. It's like... words, but not words. Pictures, but not pictures. It's... confusing."

Lucky's felt his heart give in, worry written all over his face.

What Grace just said made it worse, increasing his heartache even further, but what could he do?

Whatever was happening to Grace was definitely not normal, not normal even in the standard of the strange, unexplainable events that happened that day.

Her situation was more than just the awakening of a core, It was as if she was connected to something, something ancient and powerful, and Lucky had no idea what or even how to help her daughter.

"We'll figure it out, munchkin. But first, we need to get somewhere safe."

He gritted his teeth, and they turned a corner, Lucky froze.

Ahead of them, a group of people stood in the shade of a half collapsing building, their eyes glowing faintly.

' Hiding probably !'

Getting closer from their side Lucky found then arguing, their voices filled with panic and confusion. Trying to plan their next move.

"What the hell is happening to us?!"

A woman asked the group as he touched her abdomen.

"I don't know, but we need to stick together.

Whatever this is, we're stronger as a group."

"Stronger? Did you see what happened to Johnson? He just... exploded!"

" Who's Johnson? " One asked making Lucky to mark him as odd.

All others seemed to know Johnson except him.

' He must have just joined them.'

"My coreworker ! He failed forming his core or whatever that thing is called and become something...something sinister ...Before exploding !!"

Hearing that, one added promptly,

"We need to get out of this city "

Lucky's face contorted, feeling Grace's grip harden.

He didn't have time for this.He needed to get Grace out of here.

"Stay close, munchkin. We're going around."

He led Grace down a side street, his senses on high alert. The city was a maze of chaos, but Lucky knew it like the back of his hand.

He had spent years navigating its streets, and now that knowledge was more valuable than ever. Transversing it like he had a third eye with a birds view.

As they moved though, Lucky couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. It was an ominous feeling. Beeing watched without seeing the one staring.

He glanced over his shoulder, his sharp eyes scanning the shadows. Finding nothing.

Grace tugged his sleeves once more, giving up on metaphoric messages.

"Daddy... I'm tired."

Lucky looked down at her, his heart aching knowing that they can't afford to rest.

She was just a child, and yet she had been thrust into this nightmare. It really pissed him off !!

but he still reluctantly said..

"I know, munchkin. Just a little further, okay? We're almost there."

***

Half an hour later...

They reached an old warehouse on the outskirts of the city, a place Lucky used as a safehouse and base of operation .

The building was intact, its heavy steel doors still locked. This was also the place he came out of before going to watch the rocket launch.

Lucky pulled out a key and unlocked the door, ushering Grace inside.

The warehouse was dark and dim, it's lights glowing faintly as Lucky switched them on.

Leading forward, Lucky made way to his office, passing the hallway where without a doubt in his mind, Lucky accepted greatings from five of his surbodinates.

" Greatings Boss !! "

He knew they would be there.Even after the bizzare happening of the world, the rocket explosion, the destruction and all that. He knew they would never abandon their post.

Mostly because they couldnt,since only he and few high ranking people of the gang had the key. And all were out.

Another reason was because he literally ordered them not to move out of the warehouse.

Not when they had a guest locked in !!

"We'll stay here for now. Rest, munchkin. You've been through a lot."

Grace nodded, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. She curled up on an old couch in Lucky's office, her small frame trembling as she closed her eyes.

Lucky watched her for a moment, his heart heavy with worry, his mind full of puzzles.

He had noticed something when passing by his surbodinates.Their faces were grim and contorted, fear griping their hearts, fear that superceded their fear in him was evident in their faces.

Some would think it normal,heck evem Lucky wanted to cut them some slack. Considering what they experienced.

But Lucky was many things but not incompetent. He wouldn't gamble with Grace's life .

He walked out of the office facing his surbodinates. After doing a routine check in the office ofcourse. He would never leave Grace in a place he hadn't check.

" What's the situation ? "

He asked in a grim tone, facing one of his men that seemed more composed than the rest.

" H.. he escaped b..boss !! "

" Who escaped ? " Lucky asked in a grunt, already knowing the answer. An answer he did not like one bit.

" Riccardo ..Ch..Cheves !! "