The moment was heavy with tension as the first rays of dawn began to cut through the night’s darkness. The air felt colder now, as if the world itself held its breath in anticipation of Kieran’s next move.

Roderick’s body, now barely conscious, trembled in Kieran’s grip. His bloodshot eyes flicked between Kieran and Elara, but there was no longer any hope in them. He had failed. There was no escape.

Kieran’s cold, emotionless gaze lingered on Roderick for a moment longer, before he uttered a single command, his voice carrying the weight of finality. “You no longer serve any purpose.”

With a swift motion, Kieran drew his blade from its sheath, the steel gleaming in the dim light. The sound of metal cutting through the air was almost serene as Roderick’s head was severed cleanly from his body, the decapitation swift and without hesitation.

Roderick’s body fell to the ground in a lifeless heap, the silence of death consuming the space around them.

The remaining assassins, bound and trembling, watched in stunned silence. Fear gripped them like a vice. They had seen their comrades fall—there was no escape now. They knew what Kieran was capable of, and they knew that their lives were forfeit unless they spoke.

One of the assassins, his voice shaking with terror, was the first to break the silence. “P-please… spare us. We… we weren’t meant to fail. We were only following orders.” His eyes flicked nervously to the others, and then back to Kieran. “We were sent by the Crimson Eye Sect. They... they wanted information on you. They feared your power, Kieran.”

Kieran’s gaze never wavered. The assassin’s words struck him with a deeper realization. The Crimson Eye Sect... again. They had sent these pawns, these tools, to test him, to gather intelligence. The question still remained, though: why him? What was their true objective?

“The Crimson Eye Sect,” Kieran repeated, his tone flat, his voice void of any emotion. “And who is it that leads them? Who commands them from the shadows?”

The assassin trembled under the weight of Kieran’s gaze. His voice barely a whisper, he continued, “We don’t know their true identity. They… they communicate through messengers, never revealing themselves fully. But... there are whispers. There is one they call ‘The Eye of the Silent King.’ That is what we were told to search for. The one who has the power to control fate.”

The assassin’s eyes darted nervously. “Please, Kieran... we didn’t mean any harm. We were only doing our job. We were sent to test you... to see what you would do, how you would react. We never wanted to get involved in anything beyond that.”

The others nodded in fearful agreement, the desperation in their eyes palpable.

Kieran took a step back, his mind racing. The Eye of the Silent King. Another cryptic title, another layer to this growing web of lies and manipulation. The Crimson Eye Sect had plans—plans that reached far beyond mere assassination attempts.

“I’ll spare your lives,” Kieran said, his voice cold and distant. “But know this: you are lucky to be alive. Betrayal comes at a cost. If you cross me again, I will show no mercy.”

With a snap of his fingers, the chains around the assassins’ bodies loosened, the magical restraints fading away. They collapsed to the ground in relief, their breaths coming in ragged gasps.

The assassin who had spoken was the first to raise his head, his eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and fear. “Thank you... thank you for sparing us.” He knew it was only temporary; one wrong move and they would all be dead. But for now, they had been granted a chance to live.

Kieran’s gaze softened slightly as he looked at Elara. She stood nearby, her expression unreadable, as though contemplating the weight of his decision. She hadn’t said a word during the exchange, but Kieran could feel her gaze on him. He knew that, despite his cold exterior, the mercy he had shown wasn’t without cost, even to himself.

“The journey continues,” Kieran said after a long pause, his voice carrying a tone that made it clear the conversation was over. “We have much to uncover, and I will not let the Crimson Eye Sect slip further into the shadows.”

As he turned to leave, Elara followed, her eyes still reflecting the conflict that had brewed in her heart. She was beginning to understand Kieran better with each passing day—his decisions, though often harsh, were always calculated.

But the path ahead was dangerous, and the shadow of the Crimson Eye Sect loomed ever closer. The truth of who was behind it all was still a mystery, and Kieran would stop at nothing to uncover it.

As the group resumed their journey, the sun began to set once more, the crimson sky serving as a reminder of the blood that had already been shed and the blood that would come in the days to follow. Kieran’s thoughts remained focused on the figure known only as “The Eye of the Silent King.” He had dealt with the immediate threat, but the deeper questions remained unanswered.

And he was prepared to follow the trail wherever it led.