The adventuring party, seeing Hill and Drokh incapacitated in seconds and Hans barely holding off the knight, realized their fatal miscalculation. Panic replaced greed.
"Wait, stop! We yield!" Hill choked out from the ground, raising a trembling hand. "We made a mistake! A terrible mistake! We'll leave! Please, just let us go!"
Hans disengaged from Seraphina, leaping back with his daggers raised defensively. "We apologize! We were just talking big! We didn't mean it!"
Fia lowered her staff completely, the glow fading from her crystal. "The bounty is yours. The Princess is under your protection. We overstepped. We beg your forgiveness."
Adam stared down at them, his crimson eyes devoid of pity. "Time to end this," he stated, his voice flat and final. Dark energy began to coalesce around his hand.
"Adam, wait!" Elise cried, stepping forward, her face etched with conflict. "Don't kill them!"
