As Chief Doran made his way through the quiet, winding streets of the Town of Old, his footsteps echoed softly on the cobblestones. The shadows of the tall, weathered buildings loomed around him, their ancient presence providing little comfort. The night air was cool, but there was a tension in the air that even he could not ignore.
Suddenly, without a sound, one of his henchmen materialized next to him, moving with an unnatural swiftness and precision. The man leaned in close to Doran’s left ear, his voice a low, menacing whisper.
"Chief, there is something... unusual about the young man, Kaelen," the henchman murmured. "He carries the scent of the High Order."
Doran froze mid-step, his entire body stiffening. His calm facade shattered for a moment, and a shudder of shock rippled through him. Rage quickly followed, darkening his sharp features as he clenched his fists at his sides.
"The High Order?" he hissed, his voice filled with disbelief and fury. "Are you certain?"
The henchman nodded, his face grave. "There is no mistake. The scent is faint, but it’s there. Kaelen bears their mark."
Doran’s eyes flashed with a dangerous intensity. His mind raced, and his teeth clenched in barely restrained fury. The High Order—the elusive and powerful organization that had long meddled in the affairs of those who sought control over magic and the ancient secrets of the world. If Kaelen was connected to them, it could spell disaster for his town’s carefully guarded secrets.
He couldn’t risk it. He wouldn’t.
"They must be eliminated," Doran growled, his voice thick with venom. "All of them. I want Kaelen and his friends dead before dawn."
The henchman bowed slightly, ready to carry out the deadly orders without question. But as he moved to depart, neither he nor Doran realized they were not alone in the darkened street.
’Oh sh*t, my time has finally come!’
Hidden in the deep shadows cast by the tall buildings, a figure silently observed the entire exchange. His presence was undetectable to all but the most trained eyes. Clad in a dark cloak that blended with the night, this person is actually Eldric whose piercing eyes narrowed as he listened to Doran’s murderous orders.
He remained motionless, his breath quiet and controlled, as he heard Doran’s final words.
"I want no mistakes," Doran added, his voice low but furious. "Make it swift and quiet. I don’t want any signs that we were involved."
With that, the henchman disappeared as quickly as he had come, vanishing into the night to carry out the grim task.
Doran resumed his walk back to his home, though his steps were more hurried, the tension palpable in the air around him. His mind was already racing with plans on how to cover his tracks and secure the town’s secrets from the High Order.
But in the shadows, Eldric’s expression hardened. He knew what needed to be done. Kaelen and his companions were in danger, and it was now up to him to ensure that they would live to see the dawn.
Without making a sound, Eldric melted back into the darkness, already formulating a plan to protect Kaelen and the others from the assassination plot. The game had changed, and now, the Town of Old would be the battleground for a deadly confrontation.
...
Kaelen and the others had finally settled down in the small house that Chief Doran had provided. The room was dimly lit, with the flickering light of a single lantern casting long shadows across the walls.
Exhausted from the day’s journey, each of them had found a place to rest, though their sleep was far from peaceful.
Kaelen, lying near the window, slept lightly, his sword within arm’s reach. Guinevere rested close by, her staff beside her, while Morris, Ethan, and Sofia were scattered throughout the room, their breathing steady but tense. The silence of the night hung heavy in the air.
Outside, in the deep shadows, a group of figures crept silently toward the house -Doran’s henchmen, assassins sent to ensure that none of them would see another sunrise. Their target was clear: Kaelen.
The lead assassin approached the window, his dagger glinting in the moonlight. His movements were precise, and his gaze cold as he prepared to strike.
But just as he raised his blade, a sudden surge of energy filled the air, and a streak of lightning cut through the night.
Crack!!
A flash of light illuminated the room as a figure appeared at the doorway. His sword, crackling with lightning, struck the assassin’s arm just before the dagger could land. The sharp sound jolted Kaelen awake, his eyes snapping open in time to see the figure from the doorstep inside.
"Whose there!!?"
The assassin reeled back in pain, clutching his arm as the cloaked figure advanced. His sword shimmered with electric energy, and his face, partially hidden beneath a hood, was unmistakable to Kaelen.
’Eldric...?’ Kaelen thought confused, rising to his feet and grabbing his sword.
Guinevere, now awake as well, stood quickly, her hand glowing with the fire magic she instinctively summoned.
"What’s going on?"
Eldric, the lightning swordsman Kaelen had faced at the Rookie tournament, stepped further into the room, his eyes scanning the remaining assassins who had begun to gather their wits. "No time for questions," he said, his voice calm but urgent. "Doran sent them to kill you all".
Kaelen and Guinevere exchanged glances. "Doran?" Guinevere asked, gripping her staff.
Eldric expression was hard as he faced the assassins. "Yes. You’ve been marked for death. But I won’t let that happen, not while I have done my revenge match against you Kaelen"
Quick steps!!
Sword Union!!
Aura of a Swordsman!!
The assassins, realizing their advantage was slipping, attacked all at once. Kaelen, with his sword drawn, blocked the first strike and parried the next, his movements Quick and deliberate. Guinevere unleashed a blast of fire that forced another attacker back, the heat of flames scorching the air.
Eldric moved with precision, his sword trailing arcs of lightning as he intercepted another assassin, his strikes swift and clean. Every swing of his blade crackled with electricity, amplifying the power behind each hit.
Within moments, the room was filled with the sound of clashing weapons, magical energy, and the grunts of combat. Kaelen’s Blade met the assassin’s steel with a sharp ring, while Eldric’s lightning-infused sword crackled with deadly force as he cut down another attacker. Guinevere’s fire spells illuminated the room, creating bursts of flame that repelled the assassins.
As the final assassin fell, the room quieted once more, leaving only the heavy breathing of Kaelen, Guinevere, and Eldric. The remaining henchmen lay defeated scattered around the room.
"Huh? What is going on.....?" At this moment, Ethan suddenly muttered as he started to wake up from his sleep. Not only him, but even Morris and Sofia have also began waking up from their sleeps.
But Kaelen, who was catching his breath, looked at Eldric. "How did you find us here? And why did you help us?" He asked, though there was a sense of recognition between them now.
"Who found us?" Ethan asked while rubbing his eyes like a child. But what he heard next quickly wiped off any residue of drowsiness in him.
"Eldric? How the hell did you get here!?"
Eldric lowered his sword, the crackling energy fading. "Forgive me but I have been secretly following you guys ever since you left General Cao’s residence. As for the second question, because I couldn’t stand by and let Doran’s treachery succeed. And.... We have unfinished business."
"Unfinished business?" Kaelen asked quickly with a confused look on his face.
But Guinevere who was still holding her staff, glanced between the two as she suddenly spoke. "We need to leave. If Doran sent these men, more will follow".
Eldric nodded. "She is right; we need to get out of this town before it is too late."
"What me...." Morris said before he cut himself short after seeing the bodies that is scattered across the floor.
"Told you you sleep like a log of wood" Kaelen probably knowing what is running through Morris mind right now, said with a light smirk on his face.
"Shut it" Morris replied sharply with a darkened look on his face.
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After letting out a soft chuckle, Kaelen sheathed his sword and said in a serious tone. "We’ll deal with Doran later. But first, we survive."
"You can say that again. I can’t even begin to imagine what that old greezy man is plotting against us as we speak" Ethan said warily while still observing the bodies that is scattered across the floor.
And so, with Eldric’s help, they quickly gathered their things and prepared to leave the house. The danger had not passed, but for now, they had a chance to escape. As they slipped into the night, they knew that Doran’s pursuit was far from over, and their path ahead was more perilous than ever.