"All of our families’ life depends on this..." The leader said gravely as they finished outlining the final plan.
The cave fell silent again, the weight of their situation pressing down on everyone present.
One of them, with a noticeably younger voice, broke the silence. "What will happen to our families once the mission ends?"
The others gave him a look before the leader replied. "The families’ safety is only guaranteed if the job is done."
He paused, letting it sink in before adding. "And if we fail... You know what ’they’ will do to our families."
Everyone nodded heavily, the unspoken threat hanging in the air.
After a few moments of silence, the leader reached into his coat and produced a dozen small vials filled with a pale green liquid. He distributed them to each person around the fire.
"Here’s the weekly antidote. Let’s drink it quickly."
The leader gulped it down in one quick succession.
The others sighed in relief and drank without hesitation. The liquid was their lifeline; without it, the poison coursing through their veins would kill them within days.
However, nobody noticed the newcomer pause for just a moment after taking a sip of their vial, his hand trembling almost imperceptibly. But he quickly gulped it down along with the others.
"Remember," the leader’s voice cut through their relief, "if captured, use the black pill immediately."
"..." Everyone nodded grimly, knowing what exactly it meant. Death before betrayal.
"Think about your family."
The leader reminded them strongly again.
The meeting came to its end.
The newcomer stood first. "I need to return now."
As he prepared to depart, the young assassin who had spoken earlier suddenly coughed several times. When he pulled his hand away from his mouth, traces of blood were visible on his gloves.
"You’re really weak to the cold, aren’t you?" One of the others commented with mild concern.
But then he coughed himself too, though less violently and without blood, which earned some laughter from the rest of the group.
The newcomer just watched and didn’t react to the exchange. He quietly took his leave, disappearing into the darkness outside the cave.
The leader frowned as he watched the newcomer’s retreating figure.
’Didn’t he act a bit weird now?’
But he quickly brushed off the concern. The man was probably just nervous about the upcoming mission - they all were.
After all, their entire lives depended on it.
Eclipse Keep, Middle Keep.
The guest inn’s door creaked open as the guard returned from his clandestine meeting. But just as he stepped inside, he froze. A figure stood blocking his path, arms crossed, red eyes staring at him with cold indifference.
He was startled for a moment but quickly recovered his composure. "Oh, it’s just you, the princess’s dog. What? Couldn’t sleep without your master?"
The young man kept staring without a response.
"What, cat got your tongue? Ah, right, I forgot. You can’t speak. Hahaha, my bad, my bad." He laughed mockingly.
Still chuckling, he tried to push past the young man.
But suddenly, the red-eyed youth grabbed his arm firmly.
The guard’s expression turned cold as he stared down at the hand restraining him. "Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?"
The young man didn’t react, his grip unwavering.
Annoyed by the silent defiance, the guard raised his free hand to strike.
In one fluid motion, the young man used the guard’s own momentum against him, grabbing his striking arm and throwing him to the floor with surprising force.
The guard hit the floor hard, the breath knocked out of him.
His veins bulged, the hot surge of rage overriding the shock.
’Did I just get knocked out? By this mute trash?’ he seethed. ’Urgh, you basta*d!’
He tried to push himself up, but the young man pressed a knee firmly against his chest, a singular point of pressure that locked his entire body to the floor.
The guard’s muscles strained, but he still wasn’t able to stand up.
A guttural growl tore from his throat.
He activated his aura, a faint blue light flaring from his body as his muscles tightened and swelled under his clothes.
With a furious roar, he exploded upward, throwing the red-eyed youth clear across the room.
The young man managed to land without losing balance, but the guard was already moving, giving him no time to recover.
The guard launched himself with aura-enhanced speed, throwing a series of powerful strikes.
The young man weaved between the attacks, each punch missing by mere inches. A fist grazed his cheek, another whistled past his ear.
Growing frustrated, the guard extended his hand toward the floor. Water began seeping from the floor, spreading across the ground beneath the young man’s feet.
The surface became slick instantly.
The young man’s footing gave way as he slipped backward, arms windmilling for balance.
The guard grinned savagely and moved in for the finishing blow, his enhanced fist drawing back.
A calm voice echoed through the inn, freezing both combatants in place.
"Who are-!" The guard turned around, his annoyance skyrocketing. But the moment he saw the owner of the voice, his words died on his throat. The annoyance plummeted instantly, replaced by raw fear and panic that flashed across his features.
But he quickly forced himself to calm down and deactivated his aura, his muscles returning to normal size. Straightened to a rigid salute, he spoke with forced respect.
But the figure didn’t acknowledge the greeting or react to the salute.
Instead, he turned his attention to the young man on the wet floor and flicked his fingers casually.
Flames suddenly enveloped the water covering the floor, steam rising as every drop evaporated instantly. The floor was left completely dry, the flames already disappearing.
"Stand up, boy," the figure said. "I’ve seen enough. And... good job."
The young man, Vance, pushed himself to his feet, brushing off his clothes while keeping his eyes respectfully lowered.
The guard remained frozen in his salute, sweat beading on his forehead despite the cool night air.
He... had been found out.