Breaking the Mask (Book Three)

Chapter 13

Ladybug and Chat Noir stood at the top of a tall building, looking down at the secret location as the moon shined with the stars. Some rubble laid on the concrete ground below them from the events that took place earlier in the day. The heroes of Paris each inhaled a long, deep breath. This was it, the moment this nightmare ends. Ladybug turned to her partner.

"Ready?"

Chat Noir nodded, "I'm ready to Cataclysm this motherfucker"

A black aura surrounded Chat Noir's right hand at the sound of his command. Ladybug couldn't help but chuckle lightly at her husband's sentence.

"I'll go in first," Chat Noir said, "Don't come until it's clear"

Ladybug nodded. Chat Noir hopped down from the building, feeling the cold nighttime air cut through the material of his black suit and tickle his skin directly underneath. The cat-themed hero landed safely on the ground, causing a loud thud to echo through the dead silence of the night. With his Cataclysm still activated, he pressed his right hand down into the ground, causing a rumble to shake the area like a small earthquake of no greater than magnitude 3.0. The thin top layer of the ground broke apart, giving Chat Noir an entrance to the secret location.

Chat Noir drew his staff as he stared down at the pitch darkness underneath the hole he just created. The chilly breeze blew his blond bangs across his piercing green eyes. With his staff gripped tightly between his hands, Chat Noir jumped into the hole, clouding his vision in darkness.

The second he landed, a faint voice echoed through the room.

"What a surprise, Chat Noir"

Chat Noir's eyes darted all around him, but all he could see was pure darkness. Not even his night vision was working. His ears twitched as footsteps sounded along the walls, getting closer and closer to him. His heart pounded inside his chest as he frantically shot his head in every direction, trying desperately to catch at least a glimpse of the room.

"Show yourself!" Chat Noir demanded.

He sensed a presence right next to him, causing adrenaline to rush through him as his heart rate picked up its pace. Chat Noir tried to move, but the sound of chains rattling and the feeling of something pulling at his right wrist took over. He cursed under his breath as he struggled against his restraint.

Finally, a dim light switched on, revealing the other figure in the room. Chat Noir's eyes widened at the sight of this familiar face, a face that he remembered from his childhood.

"Félix?"

Félix stood directly in front of the hero with his hands behind his back. One edge of his lips tilted upwards ever so slightly. Chat Noir gritted his teeth in anger as a low growl rumbled through his throat.

"Cataclysm!"

He grasped onto the long chain that connected to the cuff around his wrist, expecting it to disintegrate into ash. However, nothing happened. Instead, Adrien felt his bare skin come into contact with cold metal. Panicking, his eyes shot to his hand, which was no longer covered in a black glove. Nor was the ring still on his finger.

"Perhaps you've forgotten that I know a couple magic tricks, Adrien"

With a smirk, Félix tossed the ring up and caught it in his hand as it fell back down. Adrien glared at his cousin while anger boiled up inside him.

"What are you intending to do?" Adrien snapped.

"I'm just after some jewelry here," Félix hummed, "You wouldn't mind sharing it, would you? After all, we've shared a lot of things when we were kids"