Jarek sat at the edge of a rundown bar, the ledger hidden beneath his cloak.
The air was thick with smoke, the kind that made your lungs hate you. The bartender barely spared them a glance, too busy cleaning a glass that would never be clean.
Lena leaned against the bar beside him. "Are we sure about this?"
Jarek exhaled. "Nope."
Sylva, sitting across from them with her feet on the table, grinned. "Good. Means it's exciting."
Jarek resisted the urge to throw the ledger at her.
They were waiting for the Boss.
Not their boss. The Boss.
The man who ran the underworld of this city. Who could, with one word, erase Kael from existence—or do the same to them.
Lena tapped her fingers against the table. "We should've brought more weapons."
Jarek gave her a look. "You already have five on you."
She crossed her arms. "Yeah. Should've brought six."
Sylva snorted. "Relax. If he wanted us dead, we'd already be dead."
Jarek frowned. "That doesn't make me feel better."
Then the room went silent.
The doors opened.
And the Boss walked in.
The Man in the Shadowed Cloak
He wasn't what Jarek expected.
No jewels. No gold chains. Just a simple black cloak, and a presence that made the entire bar feel smaller.
His voice was quiet. "You have something for me."
Jarek swallowed. He reached into his cloak and placed the ledger on the table.
The Boss didn't touch it.
Instead, he stared at Jarek. And kept staring.
The silence stretched.
Jarek resisted the urge to fidget. "Uh. You can open it, you know."
A chuckle. "I know."
Jarek exchanged a glance with Lena.
Sylva, for once, was quiet.
The Boss finally reached out, flipping open the ledger.
He scanned the pages.
Then he closed it.
And smiled.
Jarek didn't like that smile.
"You did well," the Boss said. "Kael has been a thorn in my side for too long."
Jarek nodded. "So, we're good?"
The Boss tilted his head. "Are we?"
Jarek's stomach sank. Here it comes.
Lena's hand went to her sword. "We did what you asked."
The Boss chuckled. "And now I have something else for you."
Jarek groaned. "Of course you do."
The Boss leaned forward. His presence was suffocating.
"You've proven yourselves useful," he said. "So I'll make you an offer."
Jarek tensed. "What kind of offer?"
The Boss's smile widened. "Join me."
Lena stiffened. "No thanks."
The Boss didn't even blink. "I wasn't asking you."
His eyes were on Jarek.
Jarek felt his pulse quicken. "Why me?"
The Boss leaned back. "Because you're interesting."
Jarek didn't like that answer.
He forced a smirk. "I get that a lot."
The Boss chuckled. "I'm sure."
Lena's voice was sharp. "We're not working for you."
The Boss sighed. "A shame."
Then he snapped his fingers.
And the entire bar exploded into chaos.
The Trap
Jarek moved before he could think.
The tables flipped. Blades flashed.
Men in cloaks surrounded them.
Lena's sword was out in a heartbeat. She blocked the first strike, kicked her attacker back.
Sylva moved like a shadow, daggers dancing.
Jarek ducked as a chair flew over his head.
The Boss just watched.
Jarek cursed and reached for his sword.
Then—
A hand grabbed his wrist.
Pain flared through his body.
The Heart of Ruin burned.
Jarek gasped, falling to one knee.
The room spun. Something was wrong.
The Boss loomed over him. "It's waking up, isn't it?"
Jarek clenched his teeth. "What… are you… talking about?"
The Boss knelt beside him.
And whispered, "The thing inside you."
Jarek's vision blurred.
Lena's voice was distant. "Jarek!"
Sylva's dagger flashed.
The Boss didn't even move.
The blade stopped inches from his throat.
Sylva's eyes widened. "What the hell—"
Then a shockwave blasted through the room.
Jarek felt it in his bones. A pulse of something ancient, something unnatural.
His head pounded.
The Heart of Ruin was awake.
The Aftermath
Jarek didn't know how long he was out.
When he opened his eyes, the bar was destroyed.
Tables shattered. Walls cracked.
Lena and Sylva were on the ground, groaning.
And the Boss was gone.
Jarek sat up, clutching his head. His skin still tingled with that strange energy.
Lena coughed. "What… the hell… was that?"
Jarek exhaled. "I have no idea."
Sylva sat up, rubbing her temples. "Well. That sucked."
Jarek looked around.
The ledger was still there.
But the message was clear.
The Boss knew something about him.
Something Jarek wasn't ready to face.
Lena stood up, gripping her sword. "What now?"
Jarek clenched his fists.
"…Now we find him."
Because whatever just happened—it wasn't over.
Not even close.