The aftermath of the battle in the Chamber of Blades left an eerie silence that seemed to press against the carved stone walls like a living thing. Jinmu stood among the unconscious and wounded forms of the Twelve Blades, his mind already working through the tactical implications of what had just occurred. Eight traitors lay defeated, but they represented knowledge and capabilities that couldn't simply be discarded. And three loyalists remained alive, their survival crucial to any hope of legitimizing whatever came after Do Giseon's conspiracy was finally exposed.
The wounded first, he decided, kneeling beside Yoo Jinhwan, the Fourth Blade who had managed to survive the impossible odds. Then secure the traitors. Then extract whatever intelligence I can from both groups before moving on to the next phase.
