"What kind of person is she, huh?" Logan whispered to himself.
Then he spoke in a clear, audible tone, his gaze distant. "She’s strong. Very strong. No doubt about that. But... she’s too proud. More than she needs to be. And that pride.." he paused "it blinds her. Not just sotis... maybe most of the ti. That makes it hard for her to see that soone else might actually be stronger."
Rowan smiled faintly. "You didn’t disappoint . That’s why I forced her to surrender. Because she wouldn’t stop—not until she was seriously hurt. Her pride wouldn’t let her back down."
He paused, a flicker of emotion briefly flashed through his eyes.
"I didn’t join this tournant to hurt people. I only entered because I had to."
Logan blinked, startled. "I see..."
He felt a bit ashad of himself. After everything, after living an entire lifeti as a war veteran, he still couldn’t read through the layers of this boy. A boy not even twenty had seen farther ahead than him. He pushed the self-bla aside and asked again, his tone more careful this ti.
"What do you an... you had to?"
Rowan chuckled softly. "Logan, don’t you think you’re asking too many questions for soone who’s so secretive about himself?"
"Fair point," Logan muttered, scratching the back of his head. He was clearly caught off guard, and he didn’t know how to respond.
Noticing his unease, Rowan’s tone softened. "Don’t worry. I’ll tell you. But when the ti cos, I hope you’ll choose wisely about whether to share your own truth. Secrets can’t be one-sided forever."
He exhaled and looked up at the sky. "You know there are five kingdoms in our world, right?"
"I do," Logan replied. "Arcadia, Velkar, Caelondor, Solmyr, and Drazhul."
"Good. You’re well-inford." Rowan gave a nod of approval. "Even though Arcadia maintains cordial ties with the other four kingdoms, not all of them are as genuine as they pretend to be. Velkar and Drazhul especially. They’re struggling."
He looked ahead, voice growing heavier.
"Those two have suffered major losses in the past few years and it keeps increasing. Nurous casualties from dungeons, territories being swallowed by breakouts and appearance of new dungeons. Their kings smile and act so friendly with all other nations, but it’s all just a front. And with Arcadia growing stronger, it’s only a matter of ti before that false friendliness cracks. A war is coming, Logan. Maybe not this year, maybe not next—but it will co soon."
Rowan paused, letting the weight of his words settle. Then continued again.
"I don’t know who’ll inherit the throne. That’s not my concern. But I do know this—when that war cos, I won’t stand by. I’ll fight. For the people who deserve protection. Who are innocent."
Logan stared at him in silence. There was sothing about Rowan’s voice—steady, unwavering—that stirred sothing within him.
"But," Rowan continued, "a battle isn’t won alone. You need people beside you. People you can trust, even with your eyes closed. And that’s why I joined this tournant—not for glory. But to try my luck and see if I could find anyone worthy of such role."
Logan remained quiet. His mind was buzzing with internal thoughts.
Rowan was right.
Wars weren’t won by a single person. You needed allies. Real ones.
But Logan had trusted once—and paid the price with his life. Betrayed. Slain by the very brother he called family.
Still... Rowan’s words weren’t empty. His motive to fight wasn’t power. It was protection. That alone set him apart from most nobles.
"If he really ans it," Logan thought, "then maybe... just maybe... he deserves to know."
But then again—
Once burned, even the sight of smoke feels like fire.
So Logan stayed quiet. Cautious. He planned on taking one step at a ti. He wanted to test the depth of the water more before diving in it.
Then Rowan broke the silence again. "And I’m glad I ca. It seems fate set a trap using as the bait. I thought I was here by choice, but maybe it was never my move."
Logan raised a brow. "What do you an?"
"Do you rember your third opponent?" Rowan asked, his tone casual but laced with sothing darker.
"Yeah. Lira Wynn." Logan replied automatically.
"Well... the one you fought wasn’t the real Lira Wynn."
Logan’s eyes widened. "What?"
"She was an imposter," Rowan said. "Sent to assassinate ."
The revelation hit like thunder. Logan leaned back in his seat, processing the words. "That... makes sense," he muttered. "Her attack, her intent, it felt different. She was surely trying to kill . She could never be only a Tier 2."
"Exactly," Rowan nodded. "She wasn’t. I suspect she was at least Tier 4. Maybe higher."
Everything suddenly clicked. Her speed, her killing intent, the unnatural strength—Logan could easily sense it but still couldn’t place it....
Until now.
"And her companions?" Logan asked.
"There were two more people. We successfully captured them as well. They’re in custody for now. I’ll make them talk eventually. I’m almost certain they’re connected to Velkar or Drazhul."
"And the real Lira?" Logan asked, his voice softening. He hadn’t known her personally, but the thought of soone innocent being a victim still struck a chord.
"She’s safe," Rowan reassured him. "She is in a coma right now, but stable. It’s not permanent. Once she wakes up... she might help us uncover the rest. I think she knows sothing."
Logan exhaled slowly. "That’s good."
But before the relief could fully settle, Rowan dropped another bomb.
"And that’s not the only group after . I think there is another one."
Logan’s eyes narrowed. "There’s more?"
Rowan nodded. "Yes. A group from within our own borders. One that thrives in darkness."
"Who?" Logan’s voice was steady now.
Rowan’s gaze turned sharp.
"A sect known for despicable acts. The Third Eye Sect."
The na rang through Logan’s mind like a cursed bell.
He clenched his fist without him even knowing.
"That na again."
User Comments
0 comments from readers