The Illegitimate Heir Returns

Chapter 8 - The Death Of Cassian Briarwood

The silence that followed was deafening.

The entire hall fell silence for five full seconds before someone finally shouted.

“Impossible!”

“He defeated Elder Killian!”

“He killed Lord Drax, and now he’s defeated Elder Killian too!”

“Just who the hell is this stranger?”

Gasps rippled through the crowd like a wave.

Some stumbled backwards in horror, others stood with their mouths hanging open in shock. But no one dared to move.

Across the hall, Hannah and Charlie wore the same stunned expression. Neither of them could comprehend what they had just witnessed.

No one had ever dared defy the Briarwoods before, not since they had taken control of northern Ashburne fifteen years ago.

More importantly, both of them knew just how powerful the Briarwoods ten strongest martial artists were.

Yet this stranger had not only defeated Elder Killian, the ninth ranked martial artist in the family, but had also slaughtered the Black Hand and killed Lord Drax.

And he had done it single handedly.

Just who was this person?

“You’re the next,” Jake’s voice cut through the silence, like knife slicing through butter.

He still wore the same cold expression, his eyes locking on Cassian like a predator hunting prey.

Cassian’s face drained of color, his heart racing wildly in his chest.

He turned toward the broken walls behind him and barked, “What are you doing, Killian? Stop pretending and get up! GET UP NOW!”

But there was no movement. Only silence.

Then Jake’s voice came through again. “Heaven’s paw carries the force of the heavens. He won’t be getting up for another full day.”

Silence.

Cassian staggered backward, fear flickering behind his eyes, then he snapped, “SHOOT HIM, NOW! KILL THAT BASTARD!”

The remaining members of the black Hand stepped forward, pistols gleaming in their hands, though none of them made an attempt to shoot.

Fear flickered in their hands.

They were used to dealing with anyone foolish enough to cross the Briarwoods. They had faced countless opponents without hesitation. But never anyone like the stranger standing before them.

They had just watched him defeat Elder Killian with a single blow.

Cassian, however, barked out, “if you don’t shoot him right now, I’ll make sure my father skins you alive for daring to disobey my commands!”

Some of the men relaxed, relieved to hear that.

This stranger may be strong, but compared to Corvin Briarwood, he was just an ant.

They all raised their guns.

Jake made no attempt to move, his face completely expressionless.

Then suddenly, Hannah came out from the crowd, stepping out in front of Jake to protect him. “Stop it!” she shouted. “How far are you willing to go just to bring down one man?!”

Her father’s heart pounded from where he stood. Yet despite his fear, he couldn’t bring himself to move.

Even Hannah didn’t fully understand why she was doing this. She still didn’t know who this stranger was. But something deep inside her told her that she couldn’t stand by and watch them kill him.

The entire hall fell silent.

Every guest, including Charlie, stared at her in disbelief.

They couldn’t believe Hannah Wayde, the most beautiful woman in all of Ashburne, was willing to stand against the Briarwoods to protect a complete stranger.

Jake looked at her, this fragile woman now standing between him and danger.

He didn’t know what to feel. It had been fifteen years since he had last seen her. He knew she didn’t recognize him, but he had recognized her the instant he saw her. Memories of their childhood together flooded his mind, and he smiled.

Not many people had the courage to step in front of him, to protect him.

A strange warmth filled his chest, even as he saw Hannah’s body trembling with fear.

She was like fragile glass, but inside her lived a fire that could burn cities. The same kind she had always possessed since they were young.

Some of the thugs hesitated, knowing who she was. They didn’t want to shoot the woman their boss intended to marry.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Hannah?” Cassian roared from behind his men, his teeth clenched as he clutched his broken arm. “How dare you stand against me? Get over here. Now!”

“No!” Hannah screamed, her heart pounding with every word.

Cassian gritted his teeth, the veins in his neck bulging with rage. “Fine, since you won’t come, you can die along with him,” he turned towards his men, his voice rising into a furious roar, “KILL THEM BOTH NOW!”

Hannah’s breath caught in her throat as she saw ten men closing in, their fingers already moving towards the triggers.

Fear gripped her, and she instinctively took a step back.

Her back hit Jake’s chest, and the warmth of his hands on her trembling shoulders brought her a fleeting sense of comfort.

“Enough,” Jake said calmly, his voice low but powerful.

In an instant, a soft, warm wave of energy exploded from his body.

Every member of the Black Hand dropped to the ground, paralyzed in fear.

Some were so overwhelmed they lost control, trembling as their mouth frothed, unable to withstand the pressure pressing them to their knees.

Cassian, now the only one left standing, stared at Jake with pure fear in his eyes – like a helpless rat staring into the jaws of a hungry lion.

Desperately clinging to consciousness, he reached for one of his fallen men and snatched up the gun.

His trembling hands raised it, firing wildly at Jake until the magazine clicked empty.

Hannah closed her eyes tightly, bracing herself for gunshots. But the bullets never reached her.

Then, she heard the sound of bodies hitting the floor one after the other.

When she opened her eyes, all members of the Black Hand were scattered across the floor. Each man dead with a single bullet wound between his eyebrows.

Cassian’s eyes widened in terror as he looked at Jake.

“Impossible…” he muttered, just before a bullet ricocheted and struck his other arm.

“ARGHH!” he let out a painful scream as he fell on his knees, collapsing like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

Silence fell over the hall once again.

It was as though everyone was watching a movie rather than witnessing reality unfold before their eyes.

Jake stepped forward slowly, each stride slow and heavy, his eyes darkening as he approached Cassian.

Cassian tried to crawl backwards, but with both hands rendered useless, he could barely move.

“Stay away from me!” he shouted, his voice echoing through the hall. “Do you have any idea who my father is? My father is Corvin Briarwood. If he finds out what happens to me, you’re dead. You and your entire family will be erased.”

Jake’s jaw tightened at his words. He stopped directly in front of Cassian, both hands balling into fists at his sides.

“Family huh?” he said slowly, the words sounding bitter in his mouth. “Do you have any idea what your father did? He took people who were precious to me, and now I’ve come back to return the same favor.”

Before Cassian could react, Jake raised his right hand and brought it down with tremendous force.

TOOM!

The punch landed squarely on Cassian’s face with a sickening crunch, breaking his nose and sending him crashing to the ground.

A loud scream tore from his mouth as blood dripped from his nose.

But Jake wasn’t finished yet.

He raised his fist again, bringing it down on his chest. This time around, the blow sounded nothing like a punch. Cassian’s ribs shattered beneath the force and he vomited a loud amount of blood.

Jake raised his fist the third time, bringing it down against Cassian’s face.

Then again.

And again.

And again!

He didn’t stop.

By the time five minutes had passed, Cassian was long dead, his face crushed beyond recognition.

His chest had caved inward as though it had been repeatedly pummeled by a hammer

His hands and legs were twisted at an angle no human being should be.

Jake straightened, his expression cold as he stared down at Cassian’s lifeless body.

Around him, every guest stood frozen.

Not a single person dared to speak.

The hall fell deathly silent.

Why wouldn’t it?

Cassian Briarwood was dead.

And with his death, a war was about to descend upon Ashbourne City.