The night was a stretch of absolute silence. In the forest of Erindor, the only sounds were the rustling of old oak leaves and the heavy breaths of a tired horse.
Lord Kaspar was riding his dark horse for his life.
Behind him, his last two guards panted desperately. They knew their escape wouldn't last.
Four arrows shot out in a sudden black flash—not mere arrows, but deadly, winged blades. One pierced his back, another his shoulder. The third and fourth struck his neck in a lethal double hit.
Rough, loud, booming laughter erupted from the shadows. It was not the laughter of bandits, but of hunters enjoying their prey.
"Who struck the first blade?"
"Me! I hit him in the back!"
"No, the neck shot was mine!"
The guards stopped, swords drawn, scanning the surroundings frantically.
Men slipped out of the shadows—hard faces, torn leather, dark cloth. Their skin bore tattoos of two crossed swords with a gem set in between.
----
Three days later, a small tavern at the gates of Elderheim barely glowed with light.
The patrons sat in silence, sipping their drinks, each trying desperately to ignore the fear.
A man burst through the door, panting, covered in sweat and dust. His entrance was violent, and his hoarse voice cut through the tavern's silence like a scream:
"Silvor... has fallen! It's completely destroyed!"
The whispers stopped. Mugs froze in midair.
"Another city?" the bartender asked quietly, wiping his hands on his apron without thinking.
An old man by the counter whispered, barely audible: "How far will that monster go?"
At once, a large man sitting in the dark corner stood up and slammed his fist on the table, making the mugs jump.
"Damn it! It's only a matter of time before it reaches this town!" he shouted.
He pushed his chair back and muttered, "I have to leave. I'm not ready to die yet."
----
The mercenaries returned to Port Azuri two days later, swaggering on their horses and laughing loudly.
Complete silence followed their arrival.
In their hands, they carried the head of Silvor's ruler, blood dripping from the severed neck onto the stone floor.
They passed through the main square, among the people who kept their eyes on the ground, avoiding all contact.
One of them stopped at an old wooden post in the center of the square. He drew a short, sharp spear and placed the head firmly on it, driving the spear into the ground with force.
The sight of the head, eyes wide open, was harsher than any speech.
He looked at the crowd, a wide, cold, mocking smile on his lips—as if saying, This is your fate if you disobey.
He noticed Rick walking past them, ignoring their presence, and quickly pursued him, asking, "Where's Sereen? Will she show up? I want to meet her!"
"She's busy," Rick replied flatly.
The mercenary paused, anger in his eyes, then shouted: "I've never seen her since I joined your group!"
Then he smiled mockingly and said: "Is she a coward pretending to be strong, and you're hiding her? Or does this character not even exist, and you're just keeping her name to enforce your fake dominance?"
Rick turned to him and delivered a punch that knocked him out, saying: "She just doesn't want to waste her time on scum like you."
None of the others dared move. Rick was known as the strongest under Sereen's command—feared by all.
He left the main square and went straight to the oldest part of Port Azuri. He entered the Silver Anchor Hotel—small, yet elegant—and climbed the stone stairs to the upper floor.
He knocked on her door with a distinct rhythm.
A voice, cold as ice, called from inside: "Come in."
He entered, silently scanning the spacious room. It was filled with lit candles despite the bright daylight. She was lying on the couch, her hat covering her face.
Rick broke the silence: "They destroyed that fool Silvor and killed their ruler."
The reply came in complete calm: "I know. I saw everything. So there was some use for fools like them after all."
The room remained silent for a moment.
Then she said, her voice flat and cold: "If they hadn't refused the contract with me, they wouldn't be dead. Their lives were short."
She lifted her slender hand, then raised her hat from her face, revealing her dead eyes, before replacing the hat.
"We are going to Rajwak."
Rick looked at her, his expression calm. "Are you sure?"
She stood by the window and said: "Gather two thousand people from the nearby towns. Head to Rajwak. Have them ready before I arrive."
He nodded, then walked out. A few moments later, his companion, Knight, followed.
"What did she say?"
Rick replied calmly: "She ordered everyone from Velas, Aura, and Naval to gather at Rajwak and be ready before her arrival."
"Rajwak? It's too far! Why does she want to go there?!"
He didn't answer. He stayed silent.
"Why didn't you ask her?"
Rik gritted his teeth: "Why don't you ask her yourself?"
"Impossible! I can't bring myself near her, let alone talk to her. What are we going to do?"
"We'll go to overthrow Rajwak and request the contract."
Knight's eyes widened: "But she didn't say that."
"She didn't say it... but that's what she meant."
----
As Rick and Knight left Port Azuri heading north, Rajwak remained completely unaware of the plans being hatched against it.
The city was massive, protected by a huge stone wall that encircled it like a belt. It was a center of trade and a home to luxury, rivaling cities like Port Azuri in its prosperity.
At its heart, in the grand reception hall, King Victor sat on his gilded throne. He was massive, immersed in luxury and celebrations, surrounded by a crowd of nobles who feared him more than they loved him.
At a nearby table, a slender young man named Cyrus flipped through an old map. His dark chestnut hair nearly covered his eyes. Cyrus was Victor's military advisor, yet he was treated like a servant.
Victor lifted his head, grumbling: "What are you saying, Cyrus? Did you send enough troops to escort the gold convoy coming from the south?"
Cyrus replied in a calm, dull voice: "I sent three squads. But I'm still worried about the news from Elderheim. Lord Kaspar's fall, the destruction of Silvor... We need to increase the guards at the western gate."
Victor laughed. "Elderheim? Just rumors spread by bandits to raise the guard fees! Imagine these fools thinking the caravans are in danger! There's no such thing as a 'monster,' Cyrus. Rajwak is protected by the best walls ever! Enjoy your drink! No one can get near us!"
Cyrus closed his eyes for a moment, then refocused on the map. He pressed his lips together and let out a short, frustrated sigh: "It's not the cost that tires me..."