Empire's boy

Chapter 3: Proving Grounds

Elias stood in the center of Lucious Lyon's office, his pulse drumming like the bassline of a beat waiting to be made. Lucious sat back in his chair, scrutinizing him like an unfinished verse—one he wasn't sure was worth perfecting.

"You got a lot of mouth, kid," Lucious said, fingers tapping against his desk. "Talkin' about taking over the game. But words don't mean a damn thing in this business. You wanna be somebody? You gotta show me."

Elias squared his shoulders. "Tell me where. Tell me when."

Lucious smirked. "Cookie, you hearing this?"

Cookie, who had been leaning against the wall, arms crossed, let out a sharp chuckle. "Oh, I'm hearing it. And I like it." She turned to Elias, eyes gleaming with something unreadable. "You got talent, baby? Or just a dream?"

Elias pulled his phone from his pocket and tapped a few buttons. The speakers in Lucious's office were connected to Empire's system, and in seconds, the beat of one of his own tracks filled the room. Heavy drums. Gritty synths. A rhythm sharp enough to cut through the tension.

Lucious raised an eyebrow. "That yours?"

Elias nodded. "All mine. Beat, lyrics, flow. You name it."

Lucious exchanged a glance with Cookie, then leaned forward. "Alright, then. You want a shot? You're gonna battle for it."

Elias stiffened. "Battle?"

"That's right," Lucious said smoothly. "Tonight. Underground club. You go up against one of Empire's own. If you win, maybe you're worth my time. If you lose, you take that little mixtape of yours and get the hell out of my sight."

Elias inhaled sharply. He hadn't come here for battles. He had come for answers. But now? Now it was about respect. And if this was the only way to get it, so be it.

"I'm in."

Lucious grinned, but there was something dangerous about it, like he was already planning Elias's downfall. "Good. Show up at Inferno tonight. Midnight."

---

Inferno Underground Club – Midnight

The bass hit first, rattling Elias's ribcage as he stepped into the dimly lit club. The air was thick with sweat, liquor, and the electricity of competition. A crowd had already gathered around a small stage, the space alive with anticipation.

Cookie walked beside him, sipping a drink like she had no doubt he was about to drown. "You nervous?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not even a little," Elias shot back, though his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

He had done this before. Battling on the streets of Brooklyn, proving himself in circles where nobody handed you a mic—you took it. But this? This was different. This was Lucious Lyon's domain.

And his opponent? A rising Empire artist named Titan.

Titan was built like his name—tall, broad, and confident as hell. When he stepped on stage, the crowd erupted.

"Oh, y'all thought this was gonna be easy?" Titan laughed, his voice booming through the speakers. "Lucious really sent this kid to get embarrassed."

Elias smirked, stepping up. "Funny. I was about to say the same thing."

The DJ dropped the beat. The battle was on.

Titan started first, his rhymes sharp, slicing through the crowd with precision. He attacked Elias's unknown status, his claim to fame being nothing more than a 'Lyon cub lost in the jungle.' The crowd ate it up.

Elias rolled his neck, breathing through the energy pulsing around him. Then, his turn came.

He stepped forward, gripping the mic tight, and let the words pour out.

"Yo, listen up, 'cause the story just flipped, Titan talk big, but his bars been clipped. You got Empire backing, a team, a name, I built mine alone—stay outta my lane."

The crowd started nodding, murmuring at the weight behind his words. He didn't just rap. He told a story—his story. How he had grown up without the luxury Titan had, without the fame or the industry push.

"Born in the struggle, made my own way, Mom held me down, till she passed away. Now I stand here, against all the odds, A king with no crown, just me and my gods."

The crowd roared. Even Titan looked rattled. Elias didn't just spit bars—he made people feel them.

By the end of the round, there was no doubt who had won.

Cookie whistled. "Damn. The boy got fire."

Lucious, standing in the shadows of the VIP section, said nothing. He just watched, his fingers tapping against his glass like a producer waiting for the right moment to drop a beat.

Elias stepped down from the stage, his heart still racing.

Titan scowled but extended a hand. "You nice, kid. Didn't see that coming."

Elias shook it, because talent recognized talent. But this wasn't about Titan. It was about him. About proving he belonged.

Cookie clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Welcome to Empire, baby. Now let's see if you can survive it."