The low hum of generators echoed through the underground station, reverberating like the heartbeat of a sleeping beast. One by one, lights flickered on across the platform, illuminating the dark halls with a cold, sterile glow.
At the center of it all stood the Dominion Core, pulsing with red energy. The crystal spun slowly in midair, casting crimson rays that danced across the metallic floor.
[Ash Fortress – Operational][Dominion Influence: 100 meters][Status: Stable – No Hostile Presence Detected]
Lucian stood before the central console, surrounded by a translucent interface only he could see. New options now shimmered in the air—Recruit, Command, Construct, Scan…
He tapped on Recruit.
[No followers detected within territory.][Initiating scan… Biological signature found – 87 meters – Female, Injured, Armed.]
Lucian's eyes narrowed.A survivor? Within his territory?
No hesitation. The Dominion granted him more than power—it gave him absolute control. Any living being within his influence could be scanned, tracked, even coerced.
He selected:
[Deploy Recon Drone – Target Tracking]
A spider-like machine emerged from the wall and scuttled into the shadows, its eyes glowing with silent intent.
At the entrance of the station…
Panting breaths echoed down the stairwell.
A young woman, bloodied and exhausted, staggered down the steps, clutching a broken handgun. Behind her, two grotesque mutants snarled, their arms twisted into bone-like scythes.
"I can't... keep running…" she muttered, legs trembling.
She stumbled. Fell.
The creatures lunged forward—only for a steel turret to rise from the floor and fire twin beams of red-hot plasma.
Zzzt–CRACK!ZRAK!
The mutants dropped instantly, their heads vaporized. Smoke curled around their twitching bodies.
The woman gasped, too stunned to move. Then she looked up—
A figure approached from the shadows. Tall. Calm. Cloaked in black. His eyes gleamed like molten iron beneath the flickering red light.
Lucian.
She raised the broken gun with shaking hands. "Don't come closer! I swear I'll shoot!"
Lucian didn't flinch. He simply snapped his fingers.
[Target Locked – Initiating Submission Protocol][Dominion Aura Activated]
[Confirm Override: YES]
Invisible pressure crashed down on her like a mountain.
Her body froze. Breath caught in her throat. The air itself seemed to bend around her.
A voice echoed inside her skull—calm, cold, inescapable:
"Name?"
"…Raine," she choked. "Raine Mercer…"
[Subject: Raine Mercer][Status: Injured – Moderate][Mental Resistance: 39% – Overridden][Suggested Role: Tactical Operator / Sharpshooter]
Lucian stared down at her, a thin smile curling his lips.
"Stand up. You belong to me now."
She didn't want to obey. But her legs moved on their own.
[You have entered the Dominion of the Tyrant.][Obedience is survival.]
Ash Fortress – Training Hall
Lucian tossed a sealed combat suit at her.
"Change. You'll earn your place as a soldier. Or you'll die trying."
She caught the gear, still trembling.
"Y-You saved me," she said slowly, "but you don't care, do you?"
Lucian tapped a command into the console:
[Assign Role – Tactical Operator][Bonus Granted: +10% Ranged Accuracy / +25% Target Tracking]
[Confirmed.]
"I don't save people," he replied. "I use them."
She clenched her jaw. Her eyes held fear, yes—but also something more. Grit. Anger.
"I have a group," she said. "Other survivors. We've been hiding in a subway sector west of here. We have weapons, food… you could help them."
Lucian chuckled.
"I don't help," he said. "I conquer."