Both Asher and Jane stood still, both staring at each other without a word, but a faint smile could be seen on Asher's face, the same smile he had given her earlier when he had forced her to cheat. And just like earlier, he had forced her to cheat once more. The smile was not one of arrogance, but rather a quiet acknowledgment, a silent declaration that he had achieved what he intended. He stood there, chest heaving, sweat matting his hair to his forehead, yet his eyes gleamed with that calm, unsettling confidence.
Jane stared at Asher with a calm and apathetic face and eyes, but in her mind, she wondered where this monster had come from. His talent did not scream; it whispered in a subtle, terrifying manner. There was no grand announcement to his skill, no flamboyance, only precise execution and efficiency. In a world where many sought to display their power with grandeur, Asher simply was.
