“Who the hell let this rat in?” “How dare you stain these sacred grounds by stepping foot into this hall without an invitation?” “Are you tired of living?” Chaos erupted outside the gates of Novak’s hall, one of the most dangerous places to be in all of Ashburne. A young man stood before the towering black iron gates, drenched to the bone as the relentless rain poured down around him. He wore a tailored black suit that clung to his big, athletic frame, soaking through the storm. His wet hair fell over the left side of his face, completely concealing one eye. Despite the hostility surrounding him, his handsome, oval-shaped face remained completely expressionless. This was Jake Frost. He stood rooted to the spot, his two fists clenched tightly at his sides. Tonight was a very special occasion across all of Ashburne, because today, Cassian, the youngest son of Lord Corvin, would be getting engaged to Hannah of the Wayde household. Important figures from all across Ashbourne had g

Inside the hall, the party was already in full swing. Everywhere you look, servants were moving gracefully among the guests, serving wine and exotic dishes too expensive to pronounce. Laughter echoed beneath glittering chandeliers. Music played softly in the background, mixing with the pounding rain from outside, drowning out the carnage unfolding beyond the walls. At the far end of the room, the fireplace was burning intensely. With golden charcoals reserved only by powerful houses like the Briarwoods, the sight alone was breathtaking. Then everything came shattering down in an instant. BOOM! The heavy doors ripped off of its hinges, crashing down on the marble floor, sending a cloud of dust and debris into the air. Every head turned towards the entrance. The music stopped. Servants froze mid step. One by one, conversation died out as hundreds of eyes remained fixed on the shattered entrance. The cloud of dust soon cleared, revealing a man standing in the shattered doorway.

High above the hall, in the renown penthouse of Novak’s hall, Cassian sat comfortably on an Egyptian marble chair, a smug smile playing across his lips as he took a sip from a glass of expensive scottish wine, completely oblivious to the chaos taking place downstairs. He was dressed in some of the finest clothing money could buy in Ashburne city, his brown wavy hair neatly styled and combed. Standing behind him was Elder Killian, his very own personal guard, dressed in black and white tactical gear himself–a uniform reserved only for the ten strongest martial artists in the Briarwoods. With a deep scar running down his right eye all the way down to his jaw, he looked every bit the intimidating monster Ashburne knew him to be. Opposite Cassian sat the charismatic Charlie Wayde, lord of the Wayde household, his face grim and solemn like that of a man who was on the verge of losing everything. Sitting besides him, her large blue eyes staring lifelessly at the dishes spread across th

The hall erupted into chaos. Every guest stared at Jake in stunned disbelief, struggling to comprehend what they had just witnessed. For as long as Ashbourne was concerned, no one had ever dared lay a hand on Lord Cassian before. Because the Briarwoods ruled with an iron fist, everyone knew better than to provoke them. Yet this stranger had not only insulted Cassian Briarwood but had also struck him. Gasps erupted through the hall instantly. “He hit him…” “He actually hit Lord Cassian.” “That bastard is dead now.” “No one has ever touched Lord Cassian before.” Cassian’s face contorted into pain as he clutched his broken arm weakly. He turned to elder Killian, his voice rising into a furious roar. “KILL HIM!” he screamed, pointing at Jake with his free hand. “KILL THAT BASTARD RIGHT NOW!” Elder Killian didn’t wait to be told twice. He gave a slight bow before stepping forward. The atmosphere in the hall changed instantly. One by one, the conversations died out as every ey

Jake towered over the lifeless body of Cassian for what felt like hours, his expression cold and unreadable. All around him, the hall was buzzing with murmurs. Yet no one dared to move. Their hearts pounded violently in their chests as they looked at the young man standing before them, every part of them trembling. Today, they had just witnessed something utterly terrifying—a level of strength unlike anything they had ever seen. For the first time since the Briarwoods had taken over northern Ashbourne, history had been made. Not only had someone managed to take down Briarwood's elite guards, the Black Hand, they had also taken down Lord Drax and Elder Killian—one of the ten strongest martial artists in northern Ashbourne. And they had done it all alone. Now Cassian Briarwood was dead. And with his death, a new age was about to dawn upon Ashbourne. Outside, lightning flashed across the night sky, mirroring the storm brewing inside the hall. Jake took one last glance at