Lucas's palms were burning, and his whole body ached as if being pricked by fine needles. His right hand, concealed in the pocket of his pants, was almost bleeding from the tight grip. Where should he go from here? Before him were the people suffering and in distress. When he truly witnessed the scene of their displacement, he realized the tremendous impact all of this had on him! He had always considered himself a selfish person, caring only about his own happiness, indifferent to the life or death of others. The pursuits and battles with the hunting troops brought him more excitement. However, the tumultuous history that Ariana had recounted to him over the years, combined with the tragic plight of these civilians before him, threw his heart into complete chaos.
He and Ariana had brought disaster to this group of civilians! At this moment, could he still calmly live and die with Ariana in their isolated world? Cyrus, you are indeed such a heartless beast! The vivid scenes of slaughter and death unfolded before his eyes, leaving him with no room for choice.
Lucas abruptly lifted his head, "Sir, hand us over! If the Stardust Amulet is truly that important, I will trade it for you. But since Ariana is destined to die, I don't need to stay in here. The fate of the two of us, leave it to fate! I have promised her, to be together in life and death. I have never made any oaths in my life, and I don't want to change this pledge."
Darya immediately covered her mouth, while Orhan let out a cold laugh, "Still considered a man."
Only Mishe stared at him solemnly, "So be it. A man chooses his own path, and I can't interfere. Let it be done this way!" He swung his cloak and was about to descend from the city wall when suddenly Orhan pointed outside the fortress, "Lord, look! Uncle Cemal and the others are back!"
Everyone halted in their tracks and turned their gaze outward. They saw three robust horses approaching on the plains. The foremost rider was hunched over on the horse, vigorously urging it forward with the whip. The reins of the two horses behind were both held by the rider in front. The person on the horse seemed to be bound to the saddle, swaying with the horse's movements. From the posture, it appeared that this person had long lost their life.
Mishe's expression turned exceptionally unpleasant, and he loudly commanded, "Bring Cemal in!" Lucas was somewhat surprised, but there was also a sense of ease in making the final decision. As he approached Darya, whispered, "What's happening?"
Darya, with a pale face, explained, "Uncle Cemal left Javanshir Fortress yesterday. He has some connections with Rostam, the Governor of Armenia of the Great Persia, and went to gather information. He intended to negotiate with the Persian army, handing over the Ariana and discussing the cessation of hostilities. Who would have thought it would turn out like this! Is the Persian army really determined to end things this way?"
She glanced at Lucas, her expression complicated, and asked in a low voice, "Have you really made up your mind?" Lucas smiled, "What else can I do? Even in the hands of Cyrus, it's not certain that I'll die. Miss... Darya, in the future, you should think more before doing things and avoid causing so much trouble."
The three horses were immediately brought closer to the fortress by the officers. The rider who was still alive could no longer dismount on his own and was assisted down. As expected, the other two horses carried the corpses. Their heads were no longer on their bodies, tethered to the horses and brought back in this gruesome way!
The living man was a thin middle-aged guy, unmistakably from the Ashina. Despite being in a pitiable state, with his left hand covered in fresh blood and three fingers severed, hastily bandaged by himself, he still carried an air of gentleness. Seeing Mishe's concerned expression, he just gave a bitter smile, "Lord, this time it's really troublesome."
Darya rushed forward first, supporting her Uncle Cemal's injured hand, "Uncle Cemal, how did it come to this? Who did this to you?"
The middle-aged man forced a smile, shaking his head. Facing Mishe, he said, "Governor Rostam has been killed by Cyrus! We encountered a large Persian army only east of the Barda City. Rostam's head was displayed on the flagpole. Now, the garrison in Armenia listens completely to Cyrus's command! He has taken full authority over the army! We sought an audience with that fierce Cyrus, intending to propose surrendering the princess and the Persian sacred treasure. However, Cyrus only wanted me to bring back a letter for you!"
He fumbled and pulled out a piece of scroll from his pocket, stained with blood. With gritted teeth, the middle-aged man said, "This was written with my blood after Cyrus cut off three of my fingers!" Everyone around shivered upon hearing this. Lucas, who had met Cyrus, could vividly imagine the menacing figure, clad in armor, whose laughter echoed like the clash of iron at that moment!
A thought crossed his mind—could it be that even if they handed over Ariana, Cyrus would not spare the Javanshir Fortress?
"Dear Mr. Mishe,
I extend my respects to you, acknowledging your wisdom. There is no land untouched by the influence of Great Persia in Armenia. From the shores of the Caspian sea to the borderlands, all are subjects of the Great Persia. However, you have severed ties with our Great Persia by first killing the scions of the Persian nobility and later abducting our revered Persian princess. Such actions have estranged you from our Great Persia. This matter cannot be resolved with mere material wealth. You should surrender, disarm, and open your gates. The sacred treasure belongings of our Persian princess, I shall personally retrieve, sparing you the trouble of exhausting your resources.
I pledge to comfort the people within your fortress. If you have any inclination for direct confrontation, I am open to welcoming you. Since the departure of Prince Farid, upheaval has swept through the empire. It is my belief that your intentions align with mine in stabilizing the hearts of the people in Armenia.
In haste, the words of this letter may not fully convey my sentiments..."
Mishe's countenance was as unyielding as iron as he stood erect on the city wall, gazing at the billowing smoke to the south. Orhan took the letter from his hands, quickly scanning its contents. With a clang, he drew the long sword from his waist and placed it under Lucas's neck, declaring, "Lord, they are the ones who brought this. If Cyrus doesn't want them, we might as well eliminate them entirely!" Darya swiftly unsheathed the riding whip from her waist with a sharp swish, angrily retorting, "What are you trying to do? This is trouble I caused! It has nothing to do with them!".