Chapter 3: The Price of Shadows
Kade staggered to his feet, his body aching from the force of the magical attack. His vision blurred for a moment, but he steadied himself against the wall, forcing the world back into focus. The chamber was empty now, the once-roaring fire reduced to smoldering embers. Blackthorn had escaped, and so had the cloaked figure—the source of that forbidden shadow magic.
The magic had felt unnatural, far more potent than anything Kade had ever encountered in the guild. It clung to the air like a sickness, leaving the room cold and unsettling. Whoever that man was, he wasn't just another assassin or sorcerer-for-hire. He was something far worse.
Kade clenched his fists, anger surging through him. He had been outplayed. The mission had turned into a disaster. Blackthorn was still alive, and now Kade was a marked man, hunted by his own guild. The betrayal was complete, and every step he took now would be shadowed by those seeking to end him.
He glanced at the remnants of the attack, the dark tendrils that had almost consumed him still faintly visible in the corners of the room. He could feel the pull of that dark magic, an eerie whisper in the back of his mind. The guild had trained him to use shadow magic, to blend into the darkness, to control the shadows. But this... this was something else entirely. It wasn't just control—it was domination.
Shaking off the lingering effects of the spell, Kade moved toward the open window. He couldn't stay here any longer. The city of Valdrion was dangerous now, every corner and alley a potential death trap. The Shadowfang Guild would already be mobilizing against him, sending out other assassins, men and women who knew his every move. He was a rogue now, a traitor in their eyes, and there was only one punishment for that.
Death.
Before leaving the chamber, Kade scanned the room one last time, his assassin's instincts kicking in. There had to be something here—a clue, a sign, anything that could lead him to Blackthorn or the cloaked figure. His gaze fell on the desk near the far wall. Papers were scattered across its surface, half-burned candles dripping wax onto the wooden table. He quickly sifted through them, scanning for anything of use.
There.
A letter, sealed with a black insignia that Kade recognized immediately: the mark of the Shadow King. His pulse quickened as he tore it open, eyes darting across the words.
Lord Blackthorn,
The time is near. The council grows restless, and our mutual goals cannot be delayed any longer. Ensure that the assassin is dealt with—by any means necessary. He has outlived his usefulness. When the time comes, you will receive further instructions. The power we seek will soon be within our grasp.
—The Shadow King
Kade's grip tightened on the letter, his knuckles white. His suspicions were confirmed. The guild's betrayal came from the very top, orchestrated by none other than the Shadow King himself. Kade wasn't just a loose end; he had become a threat to whatever plan was unfolding behind the scenes.
But why? What was the power they sought? The letter was cryptic, and there were no clear answers, only more questions. What had he stumbled into? And why had he been singled out for elimination after years of loyal service?
A flicker of doubt crossed Kade's mind. Perhaps this had been in motion for longer than he realized. Perhaps he had been nothing more than a pawn in a larger game all along.
But if that was true, he wasn't going to sit back and be sacrificed.
Kade folded the letter and slipped it into his cloak. It was a small clue, but it was something—proof that the Shadow King was involved. He would need it if he ever found allies willing to believe his story. But first, he had to survive long enough to make sense of it.
He turned back to the window, taking a deep breath of the cold night air. His next move had to be careful. Directly confronting the Shadow King or the guild now was suicide. He needed to disappear, to vanish into the very shadows that had once been his allies.
There was one place he could go, one place that might offer sanctuary and answers: The Red Desert.
Far beyond the reach of the guild, the Red Desert was a land of lawless warlords, scavengers, and nomads. But more importantly, it was home to those who had forsaken the world of kings and guilds, who knew of ancient magics and forbidden knowledge. If anyone knew about the dark power mentioned in the letter, it would be the desert's hidden mystics. And perhaps there, Kade could find answers to the looming threat of the cloaked figure's shadow magic.
But the desert was weeks away, and Valdrion was full of dangers he couldn't afford to ignore. He needed to leave the city before dawn, before the guild tightened its net around him.
With a final glance at the deadened chamber, Kade slipped out of the window, descending the stone wall with the grace and silence of a master assassin. The city was quiet beneath him, but Kade knew better than to trust the stillness. The streets were alive with unseen eyes, some belonging to the guild, others to those who sold information to the highest bidder.
He moved swiftly through the alleys, keeping to the darkest corners, his hood drawn low over his face. Every sound, every shadow made him tense, expecting an ambush at every turn. He was no longer the predator; he was the prey.
After what felt like hours of navigating Valdrion's labyrinthine streets, he approached the city's southern gates. The guards there were the last obstacle, but they would be easy enough to bypass. Kade had done it a hundred times before, slipping past patrols without so much as a whisper. But tonight, the stakes were higher, and the city gates seemed more heavily guarded than usual.
He crouched behind a stone archway, studying the guards. There were six of them—two at the gate itself and four patrolling nearby. It wouldn't be impossible, but it would require perfect timing. Kade drew in a slow breath, his mind calculating every step, every movement. He would need to—
A sudden movement in the shadows to his left made him freeze. A flicker of motion caught his eye—too fast, too deliberate to be a common thief or vagrant.
Guild assassins.
Kade cursed under his breath. They had already found him. He was being hunted.
Three figures emerged from the shadows, each dressed in the same dark robes of the Shadowfang Guild, their faces obscured by masks. They moved with the same deadly grace Kade had mastered over the years. Their weapons gleamed under the faint moonlight, and their eyes locked onto Kade with chilling precision.
He had been found.
"By order of the Shadow King, you are to be executed," one of the assassins hissed, his voice cold and devoid of emotion. "There is no escape, Kade."
Kade drew his twin daggers, the familiar weight in his hands grounding him. His pulse quickened, but his mind was clear. If the guild wanted to kill him, they'd have to earn it.
"I've never been good at following orders," Kade muttered, his eyes narrowing.
The assassins fanned out, surrounding him in a tight arc. Their movements were synchronized, perfect—a result of years of training under the same brutal conditions that Kade himself had endured.
But they didn't know him. Not really.
Kade was different. He had always been different.
And tonight, they would learn just how dangerous he could be.
The shadows themselves seemed to pulse as Kade prepared for the fight of his life.