Erick was in a hangar, or something like it. The place was empty, lit only by oil lanterns held by hooded figures.
He was tied to a chair, a wound in his knee from a removed arrow and another arrow still lodged in his shoulder, piercing his skin.
Erick didn't know if they were keeping him there to kill him, torture him, or for some other dark purpose.
He only knew one thing for certain…
'At least some of them are Fox's thugs,' Erick thought, trying to distract himself from the burning pain in his shoulder and knee.
But something bothered him even more than the sting of metal piercing his flesh. What truly gnawed at Erick was recognizing the voice of the person entering the dimly lit hangar.
"Damn it," the voice said, with a whiny, pathetic tone. "The nights are brutal. It's freezing as hell."
Erick tried to turn to see who it was, but tied to the chair, he couldn't help but face away.
The mysterious man's footsteps drew closer.
"Well, incredible… I thought you'd end up roasted, but look, you kept your word," the mysterious voice said.
Finally, the man stood in front of Erick, confirming his suspicions.
"You… Damn you, how dare you? You, an insignificant rat. Untie me now!" Erick spat, furious.
The man jumped back at Erick's tone, visibly startled.
Ignoring Erick for a moment, the man who seemed to have orchestrated everything turned to the thug with the crossbow.
"You shot him twice?" he asked cynically.
"Yeah, the first was a warning," the thug replied with a grin, the only one among the kidnappers without a hood or covered face.
Well, him and the mastermind behind it all.
"Untie me now, or you'll regret it, you filthy rat," Erick said through gritted teeth.
A moment of silence followed. The man who'd planned everything seemed to tremble.
"You think I brought you here just to kill you?" the voice said, whining. "No. I brought you here to end this stupid game of Houses and nobles."
Erick still couldn't believe what he was seeing. Despite his anger, it wasn't disappointment. Erick's rage stemmed from pride.
"Igor," Erick said.
"Oh, finally calling me by my name," the mastermind replied.
"I'm going to kill you."
Igor, the perpetually hunched man who had served the House of the Sun for years, looked at the boy he'd watched grow up with intense hatred in his crimson eyes.
Igor felt not the slightest hint of remorse or pity.
"S-S-Shut up!" Igor shrieked in a pitch his voice had never reached before. It was shrill, alien to his usual low, pathetic tone.
The same Igor who shuffled around hunched over, flinching at everything, now kicked Erick's wounded knee.
"Ha! I did the same," the unmasked thug bragged.
The other lackeys laughed behind him.
Erick groaned in pain, then said, "Igor… You'd better tell me who's behind this, or you'll regret it."
Igor trembled, but not from fear.
Igor trembled with excitement. Maliciously, he began rubbing his hands together.
"What? Expecting someone else to show up?" Igor asked mockingly.
"Ha. Of course," Erick said, head bowed. "You're just a butler."
"You're wrong!" Igor screeched again in that shrill tone.
After that shout, he kicked Erick's wounded knee again. Though they'd applied a makeshift tourniquet, the repeated blows caused it to bleed again.
Erick noticed his shoulder was soaked with blood too.
"Damn you…" Erick growled.
"Do you know how many years I've been saving for this?" Igor said, his eyes gleaming with delusion. "I saved every last cent to hire all these people."
Igor slipped his hand into a fold of his clothing, pulling out a small dagger.
"Master Erick," Igor said mockingly, "do you know one of life's greatest pleasures?"
Erick didn't answer. He just stared at Igor with empty eyes.
"Well, I'll tell you—combining your passion and your work," Igor said, gazing at the dagger in his hands like a child with a new toy. "And it just so happens I was fortunate enough to find an interesting offer…"
While holding the dagger in one hand, Igor grabbed the arrow lodged in Erick's shoulder, pressing it deeper.
Erick let out a choked scream of pure pain.
"…You see, Master Erick, I found a job where I can take out my frustrations on all those who looked down on me," Igor whispered menacingly. "One where I can take revenge on all of you from the House of the Sun."
With that, Igor, still gripping the arrow, prepared to unleash a flurry of stabs to end Erick's life.
But… Erick's words stopped him.
"They forgot the fingers," Erick said.
Igor froze, the dagger poised midair.
"Huh? Fingers?" Igor asked.
Erick, wracked with searing pain in his shoulder and knee, couldn't do anything with his hands or feet. They were securely tied. His limbs were useless, and thus, he had no way to activate his power.
Or so they thought.
"You're dead, you filthy rat!" Erick roared, brimming with pride.
Erick made a quick motion with his fingers, snapping them. Igor, seeing this, prepared to kill him, and for a moment, felt victory. Igor's dagger pierced Erick's chest.
But it was too late.
With the snap of his fingers, an explosion erupted, shattering the chair and ropes.
Igor yanked the dagger from Erick's chest, scrambling to get away.
Erick, with his hands now free, didn't waste a second and grabbed Igor's arm.
The thugs present, seeing this, raised their crossbows, ready to shoot Erick.
"W-Wait, everyone!" Igor's weak tone returned. "Let me go. I'm begging you. Don't shoot! Don't shoot!"
Erick grinned ear to ear.