The city faded behind them as the sun dipped into crimson skies, casting long, bleeding shadows across the road. The walk back to the estate was quiet. Daren didn't say a word the entire way, his usual chatter silenced by the terror of the afternoon. Riven and Alira had parted ways with them earlier, throwing awkward, hesitant glances at Jiyul as they left.
By the time they reached the Virel mansion, Daren still looked shaken, his face pale. Jiyul ignored him and went straight to his room.
He sat on the cool wooden floor, untying the belt of his robe and tossing the outer layer aside. He rolled his neck, trying to release the tension that had built up in his shoulders.
Moments later, the door creaked open.
Daren stepped in, closing it quickly behind him. "You are insane."
Jiyul didn't respond. He didn't even look up.
"No, really," Daren said, his voice rising in disbelief. "Like... crazy insane. My heart was about to explode out there. Do you even understand how close you were to death? That was the King! And the Grand Commander!"
Jiyul leaned back against the wall, clasping his hands behind his head. "If you are done whining, close the door properly."
Daren paced around the room, running a hand through his hair. "And dude... Miss Selena said you weren't bad looking! That is like a compliment from a tiger! She usually just shoots people."
Jiyul gave a faint, humorless smirk. "That girl is the one who put an arrow through my leg."
"What?!" Daren stopped pacing.
"Yeah. When I got caught back then. It tore through the muscle. Painful." Jiyul shrugged. "But my qi healed it inside the prison."
Daren blinked, staring at him. "Man... You have lived through hell."
There was a heavy pause. Daren's expression shifted from panic to curiosity. He sat down on the floor across from Jiyul.
"Jiyul. You said something out there. That you have seen Commander Rayel before. Did you mean it?"
Jiyul's eyes opened slowly, staring at the ceiling. "Yeah."
Daren leaned forward eagerly. "Can you tell me how? Where?"
Jiyul rolled his neck again. "Why? You writing a book or something?"
"No. I don't know, man. There is just something about your past that is... different. You aren't like the rest of us."
Jiyul's tone went cold. "You are pissing me off again."
Daren chuckled nervously, raising his hands. "Alright, alright, sorry. Just... if you tell me, I will shut up. Promise."
Jiyul stared at him for a long moment, weighing whether to speak or just throw him out. Finally, he exhaled.
"If you don't shut up after, I will cut your tongue."
Daren gave a thumbs up. "Deal."
Jiyul's gaze drifted, lost in memory. "Four years ago. I was still learning under my master... Shuyong."
Daren's eyes widened. "Wait, what?! You mean Shuyong Yan? That Shuyong?"
Jiyul narrowed his eyes. "Don't yell."
"Dude! That guy is like one of the most wanted criminals in the kingdom history!" Daren whispered frantically. "A year ago he broke into the Hell Library. That place is locked by the gods' own bloodlines. Normal people can't even breathe near it. Only people blessed by fragments of divine qi can even step inside."
Jiyul's gaze darkened.
Daren kept going, unable to stop himself. "He killed tons of guards during the break-in. And they said he stole something big. Something called... what was it? Ember?"
Jiyul's expression changed. His breath hitched for a fraction of a second.
"Don't interrupt again," he said slowly, his voice dangerous. "Just listen."
Daren shut his mouth instantly.
Jiyul continued, his voice calm but sharp. "He trained me in the blade. Pain, survival, instincts, killing. That crap old man used me like a damn hunting dog. Sent me on missions for him."
He paused.
"One of those missions was to spy on a city tournament. He told me some of the 'divine clans' would be watching. He wanted me to find out which ones were in the city. Blend in, watch, report."
"So I did."
Jiyul's tone grew colder, deeper. "That is where I saw him. Commander Rayel. He wasn't a general back then. Just another participant."
Daren blinked. "No way. He fought in a tournament?"
"Fought?" Jiyul scoffed. "He ended battles in seconds. No wasted motion. No show. Just pure destruction."
"What was his weapon?" Daren asked.
"Doesn't matter. He didn't need it half the time." Jiyul looked up at the ceiling, picturing the memory. "People couldn't even track his movements. He never bled. Not once. The crowd went silent every time he stepped into the ring."
Daren rubbed his arms, shivering. "That is terrifying."
"That is power."
A heavy silence filled the room.
Jiyul's voice lowered to a whisper. "That day, I realized how far I was from true strength. That man... made me feel weak."
"You? Weak?" Daren whispered.
Jiyul nodded once. "I swore I would fight him one day. Not for revenge. Not for glory. Just to prove I am not beneath him."
Daren sat there, stunned. "You are serious."
"Always."
Another long pause stretched between them. The wind howled softly outside the window.
Daren shook his head. "Man. You have been through more than I thought."
"I told you," Jiyul muttered. "My past isn't a story. It is a scar."
They sat in silence for a few minutes. Then Jiyul spoke again, his voice flat.
"I didn't die. That is different."
Jiyul stood up abruptly, picked up his sword, and leaned it against the wall.
"Now get out," he said.
Daren stood up quickly, sensing the shift in mood. "Right, right. Sleep well, scary man."
As he stepped out, he muttered to himself, "Damn. One day, he is going to shake the whole kingdom."
The door clicked shut.
Jiyul lay back down on the bed. His hand rested over the old scar on his leg where Selena's arrow had once hit. His eyes stayed open in the dark. Cold. Focused.
"Rayel," he whispered to the silence.