The pounding at the door echoed through the entire house; it was hurried, violent—the kind of sound that doesn't seek permission but demands submission. The noise reverberated against the mansion's peeling walls, vibrating in my ears like a declaration of war. Liss, her hands still clutching a cleaning rag, startled and moved toward the entrance, but I stopped her before she could even touch the handle.
"Leave it to me, Liss," I said, stepping between her and the worn oak door. "Stay back."
She said nothing, merely nodding with a Trembling gesture, retreating into the shadows of the main hallway. I could still feel the heat radiating from my palms, a residual tingling from the "cannon" I had just fired in the courtyard. My skin was flushed red, and the acrid scent of burnt wood and ozone seemed to cling to my clothes like a second skin, suffocating and real. Every beat of my heart felt like it was pumping molten metal through my veins.
I threw the door open.
The cold morning air of Valenreach rushed in, carrying the scent of damp earth, but it wasn't enough to cool the silent fury I felt. Before me stood three men. They wore the same fine linen tunics as the merchants, but the scent they exhaled was of old leather and gun oil. The way their hands rested on the hilt of their swords—thumbs ready to flick the guards open—told a different story. These weren't spice traders; they were elite executioners.
"Yes?" I addressed them, my voice coming out deeper than usual, vibrating with the authority of the Web.
"Your Highness," said the one who appeared to be the leader, with a bow that was purely sarcastic, a cynical smile dancing on his lips. "We saw a flash coming from the mansion. As your new business partners, we came to ensure that nothing unfortunate has happened."
"There is no need for concern; everything is under control," I replied, staring them down, feeling the pressure of the Earth Web beneath my feet as if the soil itself were waiting for my command.
The leader of the guards narrowed his eyes, trying to peer past me toward the courtyard where the smoke from the charred tree still rose in grey spirals. His sarcastic smile didn't waver, but I noticed his fingers tighten on his sword hilt as the smell of burnt wood hit him—a visceral reminder of what I had just done.
"Under control, Your Highness?" he repeated, his voice laced with a false courtesy that made me nauseous. "The flash we saw suggested something... less controlled. Almost like an unstable explosion. As your contractual protectors, it is our duty to inspect the premises to ensure there are no fire hazards threatening our stocks in the nearby warehouses."
I felt a sudden heat rise up my neck, a burning that didn't come from the training, but from pure indignation. Seeing a "watchdog" try to use my own laws—the very ink I had spilled—to invade my home was too much. I took a step forward, crossing the threshold of the door. The air around me seemed to ripple with residual heat, forcing the leader to retreat a fraction, his face showing a flicker of doubt.
"Contractual protectors?" I let out a dry laugh, devoid of any humor. "Read the parchment again. You are cargo escorts, not royal inspectors. This mansion is sovereign soil. If the fire here concerns you, I suggest you keep your eyes on your wagons and let the Prince of Valenreach look after his own domains."
Behind me, the sound of Obrem's heavy boots echoed in the entrance hall, a solid and reassuring thud. He stopped beside me, his massive presence blocking any remaining view of the house's interior like a granite wall. The veteran's single good eye locked onto the merchant leader with a glacial intensity.
The guard to the leader's left shifted his foot—a subtle change in balance, the creak of his boot leather betraying his intent to strike.
"Your Highness, we don't want to cause trouble," the leader continued, but the tone was now overtly threatening, stripped of any mask. "But the security of our investment is paramount. If you refuse to cooperate, we will have to report this instability to our superiors."
I let out a soft laugh. They looked at each other, confused. My mind traveled back to the hospital, to the helplessness of being unable to react. Here, I had the power.
"Obrem, what is the possibility of improving my new technique today?" I asked, without breaking eye contact with the leader.
"High, milord. In fact, the more you practice, the better it will get," he replied, his voice like distant thunder.
"Liss," I called out, never taking my eyes off the target. "Stay with Obrem."
I turned back to the guards. The heat in my hands reached boiling point. The scent of sulfur and power filled the air between us.
"And you... be extinguished."
That was all I said before the flash erupted from my hand. The pure, white light blinded them for a moment, the roar of the flames drowning out the sound of their protests. There was no turning back now. The fate of Valenreach had just been sealed by steel and fire.