Hours after the slaves escaped from the quarry, a wagon came to a halt right in front of the cave. A young man with white hair and amber eyes descended, accompanied by two individuals. The first was a girl with black hair tied in twin ponytails, while the second was a muscular, dark-skinned man with no shirt.
"Well, is it just me, or is it way too quiet here?" the young man remarked as he descended the steps. They finally arrived in a chamber that bore clear signs of having been the scene of a battle. Several guards lay unconscious on the ground. "This place is a mess. What could have happened?" The young man walked over the guards without a second glance. "Hey, Silston!" he shouted, looking around.
"Looks like he's not here," murmured the girl with the ponytails. The other man approached a large hole and peered down.
"Soren, you might want to take a look at this." The white-haired young man approached and found Silstoner sprawled on the ground, his own whip coiled around him. At the sight, Soren couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"What happened to you?" Soren jumped into the pit, the girl following closely, and approached Silstoner, crouching beside him. "Come on, who did this to you?" Before Silstoner could answer, a strange smell caught Soren's attention. "Is this... grape wine?" A malicious grin spread across Soren's face as he studied Silstoner's expression. "Hey, Silston, is what I'm smelling my merchandise?"
Silstoner's face went pale as he scrambled to find the right words.
"No, sir, I...—" His words were cut off by the girl, who seemed to have discovered something.
"There are barrel shards here. Someone must have smashed them."
Soren turned his gaze back to Silstoner's eyes.
"Well, why don't you tell me what happened here, Silston?"
"Sir, it's not my fault. Some young people came and freed all my slaves. I tried to stop them, but they were too strong. Then they used the wine to put out the fire, and..."
Soren slammed his fist into the ground right next to Silstoner's head, making him tremble in fear.
"Do you really expect me to believe such a ridiculous story?"
"It's the truth, sir!" Silstoner stammered, his voice quivering under Soren's unblinking stare.
"Let me get this straight. You're telling me that a bunch of kids defeated you, even though you had the power of my guardian?"
"I'm so sorry. I swear—" Before he could finish, Soren grabbed him by the hair and slammed his face into the ground, only to pull him back up again.
"Silston, I've valued your efforts for a long time. I entrusted this slave quarry to you because I believed you could manage it without issue. I even allowed you to use part of Raiden's power..."
"What are you saying, sir?"
"What I'm saying," Soren replied coldly, "is that I no longer need you."
Soren drew the sword from his waist and gripped it with both hands. The blade began to charge with electric energy, purple sparks dancing along its edge. His gaze turned icy and resolute. Silstoner crawled backward, terror flooding every fiber of his being.
"No, please...!" Silstoner pleaded, but Soren showed no mercy. With a single swing, he unleashed the full fury of his sword. A lightning bolt shot out from the blade, striking Silstoner's body and sending him crashing to the ground with a blood-curdling scream. Soren stared at Silstoner's lifeless form for a moment before turning and walking away. As he departed, Silstoner's faint voice reached his ears:
"Kayn... Ashborne..."
Soren leaped out of the pit effortlessly, landing above with practiced ease. He addressed the two companions who had accompanied him.
"Clean up this mess."
Soren ascended the stairs until he finally emerged outside. He gazed at the sky, his hand resting on his sword.
"So, you've decided to stop running, haven't you, Kayn?"