Raylor crouched over the limp body of the mercenary leader, coldly severing his head from the neck. The blood dripped off his blade, staining the ground beneath him. He straightened, holding the head by the hair, turning it to face Stoinis with a grim look of satisfaction. "This will do," he said quietly, and they moved swiftly towards Yinstin, leaving the battlefield behind.
The forest was eerily silent as they made their way through it. No chirping of birds, no rustling of animals, just the quiet crackle of leaves beneath their feet. When they reached a still river, both of them knelt down to drink the cold water, splashing it on their faces. Stoinis looked into his reflection, seeing the tired, battle-worn face of a young man who had come too far to give up now. His hands trembled slightly as he wiped his face dry.
"Let's go," Raylor said, standing up, his eyes locked on the distant outline of Yinstin.
As they neared the city, Raylor grabbed Stoinis by the arm, pulling him to the side of the road. "We need a plan before we storm the mansion. This isn't a raid—we need to think."
Stoinis nodded, his eyes filled with focused rage, but he listened carefully. "What do you have in mind?"
Raylor laid out the plan quickly. "We'll go in quietly, disable the guards outside. Then, we'll approach the City Lord directly. Once inside, no hesitation—we end him."
They exchanged a silent nod, determination hardening their features as they pressed forward. Soon, they reached the gates of the City Lord's mansion. Two guards stood lazily at the entrance, oblivious to the approaching danger. With swift, calculated movements, Raylor knocked one out cold while Stoinis disarmed and beat the other unconscious.
Inside, they strode through the halls, their footsteps silent on the polished marble floors. When they reached the grand chamber, the City Lord was already standing there, waiting for them. His eyes twinkled with mockery as he offered a sarcastic smile.
"So, the rats have come to bite the hand that feeds, hmm?" he said, his voice dripping with condescension. "And here I thought I was rid of you."
Stoinis's fists clenched as he took a step forward, his eyes blazing. "You thought wrong. You will pay for what you did to our stronghold."
The City Lord chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. "I must admit, I was quite impressed by your little hideaway. A shame you couldn't keep it hidden long enough. But no matter, you bandits were always destined to meet such a fate."
Stoinis couldn't contain his rage any longer. "Enough talking," he spat, launching himself at the City Lord, sword in hand. His blade moved like lightning, aiming straight for the man's chest. But to his surprise, the City Lord blocked the attack effortlessly, deflecting the blade with his arm. The impact sent shockwaves through Stoinis' arms.
"You fool," the City Lord said, smirking as he pushed Stoinis back. "I didn't become the City Lord by chance. I am a martial master, far beyond your pitiful strength. You're strong for your age, but you're a hundred years too young to challenge me."
Before Stoinis could react, the City Lord delivered a powerful kick to his stomach, sending him flying backward. His body slammed against a pillar, and blood erupted from his mouth. He gasped for breath as pain radiated through his ribs.
Raylor, meanwhile, was locked in a furious battle with the City Lord's underlings. His sword danced through the air, clashing with steel as he barely kept them at bay. The City Lord watched with amusement, clearly enjoying the spectacle as his men surrounded the aging bandit.
Raylor managed to land a few cuts on the City Lord's arm, but it was clear the man was toying with him, not truly fazed by the injuries. "You're a stubborn one, aren't you?" the City Lord said, smirking. "But no matter. Your fate was sealed the moment you dared step into my city."
As the City Lord prepared to finish Raylor off, he turned his attention to Stoinis, who struggled to stand. Stoinis's eyes blurred with pain, but something dark and powerful stirred within him—something more terrifying than the City Lord's strength. A cold chill crept up his spine as he felt a presence swirling around his body.
It was then that he saw it—a massive white snake, wreathed in black miasma, coiling around his form like a shadow. Its hissing voice slithered into his mind. "You realise you can't win this on your own, don't you, boy?"
Stoinis's heart raced as the snake tightened its coils around him. "Who… what are you?" he whispered, barely able to form the words.
"You are a dumb one kid, I am Shadow, your Martial Art" said the serpent. "Do Martial Arts nowadays look like snakes?" Stoinis remarked, still wondering what he just said
The snake laughed, its voice low and mocking. "Some epic martial arts like myself can manifest and their manifestation reveals the inner self of the creator, I am but a part of you soul. Let me take over while you take your time and relax, I shall teach this so called martial master his lesson"
Stoinis hesitated for a moment, fear gripping his heart. But with the City Lord charging at him for a final blow, he had no choice. "Do it," he whispered, surrendering to the force that enveloped him.
The world around him blurred as the snake's power surged through him, overwhelming his senses. His body moved on its own, faster and deadlier than ever before. The City Lord's fist smashed into the pillar where Stoinis had once stood, but the boy had vanished from sight, reappearing behind him.
The City Lord turned, confusion flashing in his eyes as he saw the transformation in Stoinis. His aura had changed, becoming something far more sinister. The boy was no longer the young bandit he had fought moments before—he was a force of nature, something beyond human comprehension.
Stoinis moved like a shadow, his blade slicing through the air with lethal precision. The City Lord barely had time to register the attack before the sword pierced through his abdomen. Stoinis twisted the blade, watching as the City Lord's eyes widened in shock and pain.
"You… What…?" the City Lord gasped, blood spilling from his mouth. He collapsed to his knees, clutching the wound in his stomach.
Stoinis didn't say a word. His eyes were cold, unfeeling, as he drove the blade deeper, twisting it once more to inflict maximum pain. The City Lord's screams echoed through the chamber as he struggled to breathe, each gasp more desperate than the last.
"I've… messed with someone I should never have…" the City Lord choked out, his voice barely a whisper. His body shuddered one final time before slumping lifelessly to the ground.
Stoinis stood over the corpse, his sword dripping with blood. He turned, his movements still eerily graceful, and began to walk through the mansion. Like a snake stalking its prey, he moved from room to room, eliminating every last soul in the mansion. By the time he was done, not a single servant, guard, or official remained. The air was thick with the stench of blood and death.
Raylor, bloodied and bruised, watched from a distance, too stunned to speak. He had barely survived his own battles, but what he had witnessed was beyond belief. Stoinis had become something else, something terrifying.
When Stoinis finally collapsed from exhaustion, Raylor rushed to his side, lifting him gently. "You did well, kid. Rest now," he whispered, though his mind was racing with questions.
He found food in the mansion's kitchen and ate quietly, waiting for Stoinis to wake up. When the boy finally stirred, Raylor handed him a plate of food, watching him carefully.
As Stoinis ate, Raylor's mind drifted. He thought of the life they had lived—the pillaging, the battles, the bloodshed. But now… it all felt different. The memories of their stronghold were too painful to revisit. He couldn't go back to that life, not after everything that had happened.
"We can't go back to pillaging…" Raylor thought to himself, but the words never left his lips.
Stoinis, as if reading his mind, looked up. "We should become wanderers. Leave all of this behind."
Raylor was surprised at how clearly Stoinis had read his thoughts. He forced a weak smile, though the pain still lingered in his chest. "Your face is obvious, Brother Vice leader."
"I'm no longer the vice leader, and you should start calling me 'uncle' now, given the age difference," Raylor said, trying to lighten the mood.
Stoinis smiled faintly. "Why not 'grandpa'?" he asked, and they both forced out a laugh. It wasn't genuine, but they hoped—one day—it would be.
They both knew that the laughter was forced, that happiness was something distant and unreachable for now. But they clung to the hope that one day, it would return naturally, and that they could find peace amidst the chaos.
"In vengeance swift, the debt was paid,
Yet shadows linger where hope once laid."