Aron smiled. His breathing resumed its rhythm, his bones creaked with latent tension, his pulse steadied. As he opened his eyes, a cruel glint flashed in his gaze: resentment contained, a thirst for vengeance branded in every fibre of his being.
—Interesting... A child playing at being an adult. Why don't you go back to your mother's arms and come back when you understand what fear means? Hehehehe. Lest I kill you first.
His voice floated through the air like a spectre, cold, empty, full of resentment.
—I'd say the same to you, but if I'm not mistaken, your mother now breastfeeds your younger brother. She doesn't seem to have any use for you anymore. Hehehehe.
—It could be... Hehehehe. Although maybe you could lend me yours; I'm sure she gives her milk generously.
—Difficult. I murdered her centuries ago.
—Every son's dream... to cut off his mother's head.
The smiles were only a mirage. Empty, lifeless cruelty. But then, Luis changed. His eyes glowed blood red. The shadows distorted, breathing, engulfing what little light remained.
The air became thick. Trapped in his own skin, Aron felt a shiver run down his spine.
—It's not a joke. I cut her to pieces and scattered her remains across the continent. Traitors must die... Pray for death before suffering bends them.
The words were not screams. They were blades. Small incisions that sank into flesh without the need to raise their voices.
Aron swallowed. This hatred... It wasn't human. It was something cultivated, something deep, something beyond ordinary rage.
Tears of blood began to slide down Luis' face. A violent trail, a mark impossible to erase.
Marín and Vernar were there, but at the same time, they were not. Their reality had been pushed aside, isolated.
—Miss Marin... Who is this man?
—Someone you should never cheat. If you do... you won't even understand how you disappeared.
Marin didn't look away. He watched. She absorbed every word, every gesture. Not only was she convinced of her choice... now she wanted to see how far she would go.
Luis looked down. His eyes seemed empty, but they were more alive than ever.
—And you... An insect that wails in the dark instead of tearing the flesh from those who betrayed you.
The words pierced Aron. He tried to respond, wanted to raise his voice in his usual smile, but could not. Because this time... there was no room for lies.
—If you want revenge, I will help you. If you seek power, you shall have it. If you need courage, I will teach it to you. But before all that... you will bathe the world in blood. My path is littered with bodies that were never buried.
Fear came over him. He could no longer control it. His breath came in short gasps. His hands trembled.
—Maybe you'll die before you make it... Or maybe I'll kill you myself. But if you fall, I will do justice in your name. Live or die, your vengeance will be assured.
Luis raised his hand. Aron's chains turned to dust.
—Now you decide. Do you want revenge or do you want to hide like a dog? If you follow me, I demand only one thing: loyalty. If you betray me... I will devour your heart and reduce your body to ashes.
Aron did not speak right away. He watched Luis, trying to measure him, to understand what kind of being he had in front of him.
His heart was pounding. The fury in his chest was old, withered. He had lived only in hatred, without acting, resigned.
But now...
—I agree.
His voice didn't tremble this time.
—But on one condition, brat. I want a power so great that I can wipe them out with my own hands. I swear my undying loyalty to you and my kingdom. I only want to see them die.
At that moment, everything went back to normal.
—Deal. Make sure you don't die before you keep it.
—Of course, brat. But before I fall... I hope you don't die first.
Marin and Vernar exchanged glances. From their perspective, they only saw two deranged men laughing.
Meaningless words.
What they didn't know was that this day... would be the prelude to a massacre the likes of which they had never seen before.
Luis raised his hand, enveloping Aron in an intense red light that devoured him completely. The energy pulsed with overwhelming force, enveloping his body in a crimson glow before dissipating.
When the light faded, Aron was no longer himself.
The image of a defeated, mutilated man was gone. His skin was no longer scarred with dirt, nor did his bones protrude from malnutrition. He now wore a black robe with the emblem of the Creation Sect, his hair combed, his face clean-shaven. He had become an imposing presence, unrecognisable to anyone who had seen him moments before.
He ran a hand over the fabric, running over the softness with a mixture of bewilderment and recognition. It was as if, in some corner of his being, this change had always been waiting for him.
Luis watched him serenely, as if the result was exactly what he had foreseen.
—From today you are a member of my sect. Your loyalty will be to me alone. As leader of Assassination and Capture, you will clear my path and claim yours.
Aron blinked for a moment, his smile slowly growing.
—Hehehehe... murder and capture... I like it. It will be a pleasure to clear the way for you as I move on to my own task.
Luis raised a hand and, with a simple movement, a black book appeared in the air. Its cover, engraved with a skull, gave off a dark energy that pulsed like a heartbeat.
The tome floated gently towards Aron. When his fingers touched the cover, a shiver ran through his body.
It was familiar. Too familiar.
The touch of the object stirred something deep within him. A part of him that had always been dormant, waiting to be called.
—This book contains techniques designed just for you. You will find that they are more than entertaining... It also hides secrets about your cultivation. If you master it with patience, you could reach the rank of God.
Aron closed his fingers tightly around the tome. His smile widened, and his eyes sparkled with a new sparkle.
—Hehehehe... You will see that you chose well. No one will kill more than me. You'll soon find out.
Luis nodded. He had what he wanted: an unscrupulous executor, someone capable of eliminating any obstacle. There was still time to perfect his cultivation, but that was a problem that would be solved with patience.
As he left with his new member, Luis approached Vernar and handed him a bag of gold, which fell heavily into his hands.
—I am pleased with your work. Here are 200,000 gold coins as an extra reward. In addition, I want you to help spread the word that Aron left here as a member of my cult.
Vernar was silent, surprised. He had hoped the gold was to quell rumours, to hide Aron's purchase.
But Luis wasn't paying to hide.
Luis paid to spread.
—Hehehehe... I wasn't wrong to pledge allegiance to you, brat. You are interesting. I'm sure I'll have a lot of fun with you in the future.
Luis gave a faint smile.
—As long as you're still alive, of course.
Marin watched everything with a calculating look on his face, his thoughts travelling down a dangerous path. There were patterns in Luis's every action.
It was impossible to decipher it all... But one thing was clear: his vision went beyond the immediate.
Better to wait and see how events unfolded.
They exited through the same door they had entered, returning to the seven-door sector.
Vernar turned to Luis with a mocking expression.
—Now your last request is missing. You wanted someone with manners and swordsmanship, didn't you? I have just the one. It will only cost you 40,000 gold.
Luis frowned. A woman of refinement and combat prowess, but cheaper than Aron. Maybe because she didn't come from a family of kings.
But something didn't add up.
—I know what you are thinking. My slaves are expensive. But this woman... is different. Her price is low because she sold herself to pay off her family's debt.
Vernar paused, his expression taking on a serious tinge.
—Besides, she has a condition: she chooses her master. That's why the price is lower, to increase the chances that someone will buy her... and that she will accept her master. Follow me.
They stopped in front of door number five. This time, the atmosphere was completely different.
A scent of wild flowers wafted through the air, enveloping the corridor with a warm, fresh fragrance.
From somewhere, birdsong could be heard, harmonising with the light murmur of the wind.
Nothing like the heaviness of the previous room.
Everyone crossed the threshold, intrigued by what awaited them inside.