The carriage rattled gently as it rolled along the winding road beneath the vast stretch of cloudsared sky. Inside, shadows flickered across the velvet seats, cast by the pale sunlight that
slipped through the curtains.
Ethan leaned back, arms folded, watching the trees sway past through a slit in the drapes. The air
inside slled faintly of polished wood, leather, and a subtle floral perfu drifting from the
woman across from him.
Velexaria Duskvale, Tower Master of the Dark Mages, sat with regal poise, her obsidian robes
embroidered with crimson runes glimring faintly in the gloom. Her eyes, dark as midnight
pools, fixed Ethan with a look sowhere between calculation and pride.
Beside her sat Lysena Blackthorn and Kaeron Ravelle, both Sixth Circle Mages and legends in
their own right. The space felt tight with their power, like sitting between walls of unseen lightning.
"So," Velexaria began, her voice low and smooth as silk, "when we reach the Empire’s capital, you
might feel overwheld. It’s not rely a council gathering. It’s a battlefield of prestige and silent
threats."
Kaeron let out a dry snort. "The Light Tower’s whelps love flaunting their brilliance. The Thunder
Tower, too—acting as if the skies answer only to them."
Lysena tilted her head, her eyes narrow and perceptive. "Don’t let their arrogance throw you off,
Ethan. Rember, you’re carrying the weight of our tower’s reputation. We wouldn’t have chosen
you otherwise."
Ethan cracked a grin, lifting his chin. "I’m not afraid of a bunch of robed peacocks. Let them look
down on —I’ll show them what darkness really is."
Velexaria’s lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile. "That’s precisely what I like about you. But
keep your wits sharp. The Imperial Summit is a dance of masks. Alliances are made and broken in
a single conversation. And this year..." Her voice dropped a note, eyes glinting. "...rumors say the
Emperor himself may appear."
Kaeron’s expression darkened. "aning we’ll be watched from every corner. One mistake could
turn the Empire’s eye against us."
Ethan leaned forward, eyes shining. "Let them watch. If they want to asure power, I’ll be
ready."
Velexaria gave a faint chuckle. "Good. Because the Empire’s new generation of mages will be
there. And you—" She tapped a black-painted nail against her knee. "—must prove that the Dark
Mage Tower has the strongest talent of them all."
Lysena smirked. "No pressure, of course."
"None at all," Ethan shot back dryly.
Their laughter rose softly in the cabin, smoothing the tension like balm over steel.
But that peace lasted less than a mile.
A sudden chill swept through the carriage.
BANG!
The carriage rocked violently as an explosion tore through wood and tal, the blast splitting the
road apart in a cyclone of fire and smoke. Ethan slamd against the opposite wall, teeth rattling
as shards of burning timber flew past his face.
Outside, thick smoke rolled across the path like a living beast, choking the sunlight and casting
the world into a flickering inferno. Through the haze, silhouettes appeared—tall figures draped in
heavy cloaks, faces hidden behind masks scrawled with crimson runes.
"They’ve co..." Velexaria murmured, her voice dangerously calm.
One robed figure stepped forward, peering through the swirling smoke at the flaming wreckage.
"No bodies," he hissed. "The spell consud them entirely?"
Another man crept closer, scanning the debris. "Search the wreckage. We can’t return emptyhanded."
As he reached for a piece of smoldering timber, a voice rang out, sharp as steel:
"Looking for us?"
The smoke burst apart like glass shattering.
Ethan stood there, sword gleaming wickedly in his grasp, eyes blazing with cold fury. Velexaria
stepped beside him, her black robes swirling like storm clouds, shadows coiling around her like
serpents. Lysena and Kaeron flanked them, their hands alight with swirling dark magic.
The robed intruders recoiled. "Impossible! The carriage—"
Kaeron scoffed. "Destroyed your little decoy, you an. Nice fireworks show."
Lysena arched a brow. "I felt the surge of fire mana seconds before it ignited. We slipped out and
cloaked ourselves in shadows. Thanks for the entertainnt."
One of the attackers snarled and lunged, blade flashing toward Ethan’s throat. But Ethan moved
like a phantom, deflecting the strike with a harsh clang before slashing the man’s chest. Blood
fountained into the smoky air as the attacker crashed to the ground.
Chaos erupted.
Swords glead. Shadows lashed out like black vipers. Kaeron’s darkness coiled around
attackers, snapping bones and tearing weapons free. Lysena’s incantations sent waves of
obsidian lightning crackling across the battlefield, dropping robed n in twitching heaps.
"Too slow!" Ethan roared, ducking beneath a strike and driving his blade into an attacker’s gut.
He spun around, parrying another slash before cutting a man’s legs out from under him. Blood
sprayed across the scorched earth. The enemy fell with a gurgling scream.
A lone figure remained, panting, eyes wide and feral. He bit down on his tongue, blood pouring
from his mouth.
"Oh no, you don’t." Ethan seized him by the collar and slamd him against a charred tree. "Who
sent you?"
The man glared at him, blood bubbling on his lips. "I’ll never tell... we are the shadows... we are
—"
Ethan’s blade flashed once, clean and silent. The man dropped like a stone, lifeless eyes staring
skyward.
"Not interested," Ethan muttered, flicking blood from his sword.
Velexaria stepped forward, voice like ice. "Pathetic. Whoever hired them underestimated the Dark
Mage Tower."
Kaeron rolled his eyes. "Idiots should’ve stayed ho."
Lysena tilted her head. "Should we hang the bodies as a warning?"
Velexaria waved a hand dismissively. "No. Let them rot. We have a summit to attend."
Ethan sheathed his sword, chest heaving, a grin flickering over his face. "So... think this counts as
my morning warmup?"
Kaeron barked a short laugh. "Remind not to spar with you anyti soon."
Lysena gave Ethan a pointed look. "Rember, this is only the beginning. The Empire will be far
more dangerous than this."
Ethan nodded, brushing soot from his cloak. "Good. I’d be bored otherwise."
Velexaria flicked her hand, and dark energy coalesced into a new carriage of shadows and
swirling runes. The group climbed in, leaving the flaming wreckage and corpses behind. As they
settled into their seats, Ethan cast one last look at the road behind them.
They’re trying to kill before I even get to the Empire. That’s how I know I’m on the right path.
Let them co. I’ll cut them all down.
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