Chapter 13 – Shadows at the Doorstep
The valley was quiet under the silver glow of the moon. The Kenneth household—simple stone walls, fields swaying gently in the night breeze—looked peaceful. Too peaceful.
Inside, Kiran's younger sister, Lira, hummed softly as she worked by lantern light, stitching old clothes. Their mother sat nearby, her hands folded in tired prayer.
Neither noticed the figures slipping through the darkness outside, shadows moving with inhuman grace. Syndicate assassins.
At their head was Jaden. His cloak concealed his face, but his eyes burned with a cold resolve. He motioned silently, and the shadows fanned out, surrounding the house.
---
Inside, Lira's hand froze. The lantern flame flickered wildly, dancing erratically. She frowned. "Mother… did you feel that?"
Her mother looked up, brow furrowed. "It's nothing, child. The wind, perhaps."
But outside, the assassins drew poisoned blades, closing in.
---
Suddenly, the door slammed open. Orin stood there, axe in hand, armor scarred from travel. "GET AWAY FROM THE WINDOWS!" he bellowed.
Lira gasped. "Uncle Orin?"
Before she could move, a blade shattered through the shutters, dripping green venom. Orin swung his axe in a wide arc, cleaving the weapon in two. "They've come!"
---
The night erupted into chaos. Syndicate assassins burst into the house, blades flashing. Orin met them head-on, roaring like a storm, his axe splitting steel and bone.
Lira clutched her mother, pulling her back. Her voice trembled. "Why? Why are they here?"
And then she saw him. Jaden stepped through the wrecked doorway, shadows coiling around him.
Her breath caught. "Jaden…?"
His face was hidden beneath the hood, but his voice was unmistakable. "Move aside, Lira. This doesn't concern you."
Tears welled in her eyes. "You… you're with them?"
Jaden hesitated for the briefest moment. Then his hand tightened on his blade. "Step aside."
---
Far away, in the mountain camp, Kiran bolted upright, fire erupting around him. His chest burned as if pierced by invisible blades.
Miren jolted awake. "Kiran—what is it?"
His eyes glowed, fire raging out of control. "They're here. At my home."
Without another word, he surged to his feet, flames propelling him forward like a comet. The night itself seemed to bend under his fury as he raced toward the valley.
---
Back at the house, Orin fought fiercely, but the assassins kept coming, their numbers overwhelming. Poison-laced blades slashed across his arm, and he snarled in pain.
Jaden raised his hand, shadows tightening like a noose around Lira. "Enough! Hand her over, and I may spare the rest."
Orin roared, swinging his axe to break the shadow coils. "Over my dead body!"
And in that moment, fire streaked across the night sky.
The ground trembled as Kiran landed at the doorstep, flames exploding outward, burning the shadows to ash. His eyes blazed, brighter than the torches of a thousand battles.
He looked at Jaden. At the assassins. At his family cowering behind Orin.
And his voice was like thunder wrapped in fire.
"You dared."