A Reason to Fear
If the Scarlet Sect wanted Kael dead…
Then he would give them a reason to fear his survival.
He walked through the dimly lit streets of Myr, his fingers tightening around the small piece of parchment Oris had given him.
A name was written on it.
Verik Langris.
A member of the Scarlet Sect.
And if Kael played his cards right—
His first step toward discovering who was pulling the strings.
But before he could kill, he needed to find.
And before he could find, he needed to understand.
Who was Verik?
Where was he hiding?
And more importantly… who else was with him?
Kael smirked.
Because nothing in Myr's underworld stayed hidden for long.
Not if you knew where to look.
Tracking Verik Langris
Kael returned to the shadows of the Lower District.
But this time, he wasn't just watching.
He was hunting.
Verik wasn't a leader.
He was an executor—a blade in the dark.
The kind of man who killed without hesitation, never questioning orders.
But even killers needed supplies, information, and a safe place to rest.
That's where Kael would start.
He needed to find the suppliers.
The informants.
The people who knew where assassins hid before they struck.
And the first lead was sitting in a filthy tavern called The Black Boar.
His name?
Ryven the Rat.
Interrogating Ryven the Rat
The tavern was a rotting pit filled with petty criminals, drunk brigands, and corrupt merchants.
The kind of place where life was cheap…
And betrayal was expected.
Kael spotted Ryven immediately—a thin man with yellowed teeth and shifty eyes.
A rat in human skin.
And according to Oris, the man who arranged safe routes for the Scarlet Sect's assassins.
Kael sat across from him without permission.
Ryven's beady eyes darted up, suspicion flickering in them.
"You're not from around here."
Kael smiled faintly.
"And yet, I already know more about this city than I should."
A warning. A test.
Ryven understood immediately.
He licked his dry lips and glanced away.
"…What do you want?"
Kael leaned forward.
"Verik Langris."
A Cornered Rat Always Squeals
The effect was instant.
Ryven froze.
His eyes widened for a fraction of a second…
Then, he tried to hide it.
Too late.
Kael had already seen.
He crossed his arms.
"Think carefully before you lie."
Silence.
Ryven's gaze flicked around the tavern, looking for an escape.
Kael noticed immediately.
The man wasn't afraid of him.
He was afraid of the Scarlet Sect.
Interesting.
Kael pulled a dagger from his belt and stabbed it into the table, the blade humming from the impact.
A reminder.
A choice.
"Ryven… you have two options."
"Tell me where to find Verik… and keep breathing."
"Or run… and I'll make sure the Scarlet Sect never has to worry about your loyalty again."
Ryven paled instantly.
He knew Kael was serious.
His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard.
Then, in a hoarse whisper, he said—
"He's in the Mist District… a hideout called The Crimson Moon."
Kael memorized the name.
The information was real.
Because when a cornered rat had no way out—
It always spilled its secrets.
Kael stood.
"Enjoy your night, Ryven."
Then, he vanished into the shadows.
The Crimson Moon: A Nest of Assassins
The Mist District lay on the eastern edge of Myr.
A place of narrow streets, dead-end alleys, and a constant fog rolling in from the river.
The perfect place for killers to hide.
Kael moved swiftly, his instincts sharp.
He could feel hidden eyes tracking his approach.
They knew someone was coming.
But they didn't know it was him.
Not yet.
He reached the entrance to The Crimson Moon—a decrepit old house, seemingly abandoned.
But Kael wasn't fooled.
Behind that façade was a den of vipers.
And among them—
Verik Langris.
The first target.
The first of many.
Kael inhaled slowly.
Then, without hesitation—
He stepped forward.
The hunt had begun.