A person strolled in and both the assassins and the shadows froze. The assassins were sure of one thing; this was the one who released that blood aura they had almost drown in before. Having him this close, all their orifice started to spew blood. The pain was unbearable for all of them; the shadows were no exception. In that state of pain, their true dark cloaked forms were revealed to all who cared to look.
"Master, please." one of the shadows begged. Only then did the blood aura disappear and with it, the pressure on their cores. They all collapsed into of gasps, coughing fits and struggled to breathe. The assassins wanted to escape at this moment. There was no way they wanted to be caught by such a man. But the though pressure was gone, they could not move.
"Take them away, they will be useful." the newcomer said to his shadow men. He was much shorter than the others and only when he came into direct beam of the moonlight streaming through thick trees branches, did the assassins see that he was a young boy no older than eighteen.
The boy turned with a displeased expression towards his subordinates.
"You let yourself be trapped in such a situation?" he said to the shadows sprawled on the ground.
"I'm sorry, master, we underestimated them." one of them said. Before his words entered ears, his head had left his body and touched the floor.
"When you all return, go and receive your punishment." he said and they all nodded. Soon, more shadows arrived in haste. Their leader stared at the boy in worry.
"Master, why did you come out? I said we could handle it ourselves." the leader of the newly arrived shadow men was a hunched elderly man with a walking stick.
The boy turned to where Lord Torgenn laid unconscious and the surrounding shadows hurried to carry the unconscious lord.
"My father-in-law-to-be is in danger, I had to show my sincerity." the boy said and the shadows froze. The man with the walking stick sighed; if you are sincere, then the saints are just awaiting eternal punishment, the man thought.
"She did not send any one to save her father and I dare not think she did not foresee this, do you think she was testing me? Say, this wife of mine, is she satisfied with my performance?" the boy asked. Again, the shadows raised their brows and the man with the walking stick sighed again.