Three days passed before Zephyr returned to the hut carrying a sealed envelope bearing an unfamiliar crest.He turned it over twice in his hands before placing it on the table in front of Lucian."This came for me," Zephyr said. "An invitation."Lucian glanced at the wax seal, an intricate design of overlapping circles. "For what?""An underground auction," Zephyr said. "I heard they invited powerful clans, assassins, wealthy families, even foreign factions. So many people.""And they invited you too.""They invited whoever manages your winnings from the tower," Zephyr corrected. "Word of how much gold passed through my hands after that fight spread faster than I expected."Lucian picked up the envelope and broke the seal himself.Inside was a short list of featured items, written in elegant script and describing each item in vague yet tempting terms.His eyes stopped on the third line.An ancient relic, origin unconfirmed, bearing traces of a dormant power.Zephyr watched his face ca

Zephyr exhaled, rubbing his temple, when the lanterns overhead flickered once and went out. "Damn, what I was worried about actually happened."Darkness swallowed the entire hall, immediately followed by a deep groan echoing from the walls of the room.Metal barriers slammed down over every visible exit, sealing every side shut.Screams erupted from the crowd as chaos broke out within seconds.Figures moved through the darkness with practiced precision, blades flashing whenever they caught the lantern light."Assassins!" someone shrieked. "They're among the guests!"A merchant near the front collapsed, blood spreading across the marble floor before anyone could react."Help! Help me! Anyone! I'll pay anyone who can help!""Three thousand, no, five thousand gold coins to anyone who can kill those assassins!"Wealthy heirs scrambled to save themselves, while clan guards summoned defensive barriers that illuminated the room with flashes of blue and violet light."Kill them quickly!"Powe

"I'm fine," Lucian said briefly, saying nothing about the warning still echoing in his mind.Zephyr watched him for a few moments, clearly unconvinced, but chose not to press him further."Amara is waiting near the eastern gate," Zephyr said instead. "Let's move before someone else decides to test their luck tonight."They left the ruined chamber behind, climbing back through the tunnel until the cool night air replaced the dust and stagnant silence underground.Amara immediately fell into step beside them once they emerged, her eyes scanning Lucian's body for injuries. "At least you're not bleeding.""Disappointed?" Lucian asked."Relieved," she corrected, though her tone carried a hint of exasperation.They had barely crossed two streets when a figure stepped out from the shadows of an alley, blocking their path ahead.The man was built like a slab of stone, with a scarred jaw and a heavy cleaver strapped across his back."Judge," the man said, his voice rough as gravel. "Took me lo

The grand hall shimmered beneath the lantern light, dozens of noble families gathered beneath banners representing every notable house.Seraphina stood near the center of the room, her posture composed despite the murmurs circling around her."The Stormbanes have grown careless," an elder from a rival clan said loudly enough for others to hear. "First a failed academy incident, now unexplained interest in an unranked fighter called Judge."Several guests turned to watch her reaction.Aldric stood a few paces behind her, arms folded, deliberately silent.Seraphina met the elder's gaze without flinching. "Careless implies we acted without purpose. We haven't.""Then explain the Stormbane family's sudden interest in that masked nobody, Madam," another guest pressed."Judge defeated Adler, humiliated many contestants in the Hidden Tower, and survived a bounty that even most assassins wouldn't dare accept," Seraphina replied calmly. "Any family not paying attention to that would be the car

Seraphina remained where she stood, watching the three of them cross the hall and disappear through the wide doors into the night.However, there was something about the way the man walked away—unaffected, untouched, as though her words had no effect on him at all—that somehow felt heavier in her chest than any feeling whatsoever.She couldn't let it end just like that.Before Lucian reached the outer courtyard, Seraphina found herself walking after him, the sharp clicking of her heels against the marble floor echoing around them."Lucian," she called out.He stopped, glancing back over his shoulder without the slightest sense of urgency."Are you still not satisfied with what happened?" the man asked without even looking at her.Seraphina's eyes narrowed at the unfamiliar flatness in his voice. "Don't mistake whatever you've become now for something capable of erasing your past."Several guests still lingering near the entrance turned to watch, realizing another spectacle was unfoldi