Location: Avalon Elite Academy – Festival Grounds, Nightfall
The sky glittered with golden lanterns.
The annual Festival of Lights had transformed the campus into a glowing wonderland. Food stalls, magical displays, music performances—every student was dressed in their best. Laughter echoed across the courtyards.
But Damon Black?
He stood still.
In the center of it all. Masked beneath the identity of Grayson Lysander, hands in his pockets, surrounded by friends and allies.
He smiled like he was enjoying the moment.
But beneath that smile…
War had already begun.
Scene: The First Strike
Far from the school grounds, across the city, three of the Order's safehouses collapsed within seconds.
The first: a financial fortress controlling offshore accounts—emptied in minutes.
The second: a biotech lab producing vampire enhancements—burned to the ground.
The third: a black-market auction—raided by mercenaries secretly bought by Phantom.
All done without a bullet fired by him.
Just money.
And strategy.
Scene: Within the Festival
Nova, Elina, and Arielle were radiant—walking beside him, holding his arms, smiling as students and teachers waved.
Zeke and Rico were up ahead, laughing with a group of performers.
Caelan, Azra, and Liora moved through the crowd with their friends, enjoying snacks and taking pictures.
Everyone believed this was a moment of peace.
Only the Phantom knew better.
Scene: System Activation
[SYSTEM: STRIKE ONE COMPLETE.]
[Order-Linked Assets Seized: $93,000,000+]
[Next Move Ready: Financial Bombs Armed. Target: Order's Shadow Banking Network.]
Damon smirked.
"They planned to attack during the festival. Now they'll lose everything during it instead."
Scene: The Order Reacts
Across the ocean, in a dark council chamber, alarms blared.
"What's happening to our money?"
"We're under attack. Internally."
"Who—WHO is behind this?!"
A monitor flickered.
A message appeared.
CHECK-IN COMPLETE. NEXT ROUND BEGINS SOON.
— PHANTOM
Final Scene: Fireworks Above
Back at Avalon, students cheered as the first fireworks exploded in the sky.
Grayson stood with his family, arms around his wives, watching the lights bloom overhead.
But in his eyes?
There were no fireworks.
Only calculation.
"Let's see how long the Order lasts… when they start bleeding from the inside."