Seth Vernal and the others fell from the sky, crashing through branches before landing in a dense, shadowed forest. They quickly found an open clearing, its ground covered in layers of moss and fallen leaves.
No one spoke. They simply sat down, closed their eyes, and began adjusting their breath.
Night descended.
The bonfire crackled with a sharp _creak-creak_, sparks popping and floating into the dark canopy.
When Seth Vernal, Carlos Vernal, and dozens of elite guards opened their eyes again, the dim flames cast long shadows across their faces—faces twisted by suppressed fury.
Killing intent surged in their eyes like a storm waiting to break.
"This man killed the sixth prince of my Vernal clan," Seth Vernal's voice vibrated in the cold air, each syllable edged with ice.
"And he also killed the Imperial assassin trained painstakingly by our clan. If I don't avenge this hatred, I do not deserve to live as a human."
