A week later, they were all gathered in Luis' room, ready to receive instructions.
Marin had already delivered the goods they had bought. The elf, fortunately, arrived without complications, though she brought bad news: almost half of the guards sent to escort her were killed, ambushed by hooded men somewhere along the way.
He also informed Luis that several guards were patrolling the city asking questions about him. They were circling near the hotel, trying to intercept him or any of his group.
So they decided not to go out at all.
Not out of fear. Quite the contrary.
Luis wanted Aron and Luci to make a full recovery.
Moreover, it was essential that they all conserved their energy and that their cultivation was at its peak. There was no room for error in what lay ahead.
The plan was already laid out. And it would begin that night, without fail.
—Aron, take this— said Luis, handing him a sealed scroll—, I need you to capture this person. Kill anyone who gets in the way. There must be no one left alive, do you understand? No one.
He turned his head slightly.
—Hernan will accompany you. It will do him good to gain combat experience.
But the truth was different. Luis needed Hernan to kill. He knew that if he didn't now, he might hesitate at the wrong time later. And a second of doubt, on the battlefield, was the difference between living or dying.
—Hehehehe... finally some fun. It'll be a piece of cake—Aron laughed, between anxious and unhinged—, Do you want him whole or just breathing?
—Bring him alive. If you have to hit it, do it. But without causing fatal wounds or visible marks. In the report is also the place where you must take him. Once there, wait for me.
They both nodded and left the room.
Aron looked like a rabid dog when he was finally let off the chain. He had a smile that betrayed hunger, a contained rage ready to explode.
Hernan, on the other hand, walked with his head down. Each step he took was heavier than the last. He had never killed anyone. And he knew it well: after this trip, his life would never be the same again.
It wasn't fear of failure. It was fear of ceasing to be who I was.
Fear of becoming another kind of person.
Once he crossed that line, there was no going back.
—Luci, you come with me—Luis ordered—, We have to eliminate someone. Then we'll join the others for the final phase of the plan.
They both stood up. They waited a few minutes to avoid coinciding with Aron and Hernan's departure.
—Let's go.
They left the hotel by alternate routes, guided by contacts in the Rising Sun organisation. Business allies opened hidden doors for them that connected to other areas of the city. It was an escape network designed to avoid unwanted eyes.
Luis was not afraid of being discovered. But he was not ready to start the massacre just yet.
There would be, yes, but not without his plan being fully assembled.
After almost two hours of continuous movement, they arrived in the black district of the city. A decadent corner where the rich took their darkest desires for a walk. Here, everything could be bought: pleasure, pain... even death.
They stopped in front of a renowned brothel: The Olympus. Famous for offering the most beautiful women in the kingdom, only accessible to the elite.
—Cover yourself. Don't draw attention to yourself. Stay behind me until further notice—Luis told Luci.
She obeyed silently, covering herself with the hood and adjusting her black robe. Her figure blurred in the shadows; not even her gender could be guessed. She stood behind him and they entered the brothel together.
A pair of guards stopped them at the entrance.
—Entrance badge.
Luis took out of his tunic twenty thousand gold coins and two red badges with a pearl in the middle. The gold was the entrance fee. The badges, the real passport. Without them, all the gold in the kingdom would not be enough. It was a system designed to ensure that only members of the kingdom, or people with real power and influence, would enter.
Inside, the atmosphere was opulent and decadent. Soft music. Fake laughter. Expensive perfume hung in the air like a toxic cloud.
Luis sat at a round table. Luci stood firm behind him, motionless as a shadow.
A young woman approached. She wore a catsuit that left little to the imagination. Her body was a spectacle designed for pleasure.
—Welcome to Olympus. What does the gentleman desire this evening?
—Hmm... I wish you—Luis replied with a cocky grin—, But you'd better bring me the most expensive drink, the best food, and whoever brings it, keep me company tonight. Let her be the most attractive. I will be most generous.
When he finished, he slapped her bottom. The young woman moaned softly and, without a word, went to comply.
Meanwhile, Luis watched his target.
He was about twenty metres away, at another table. Two women were feeding him, as if he were a child. A young man of about twenty-four, enjoying himself beyond measure. Several royal guards surrounded him, attentive, watching everything around him.
But it was not enough.
Luis looked at him calmly. Patiently.
Like the hunter who has already chosen his prey.
—Enjoy, Prince Eduardo—she murmured—, for this will be your last night in this world.
A smile spread across his face. Slow. Cruel. Cold.
This was not revenge.
It was the first move in a much bigger plan.
After a while, another woman approached Luis. She was younger, with a figure that defied logic and a smile trained to seduce. She brought with her a bottle of the most expensive beer in the country, a steaming plate of food and a couple of wild flutes.
Carefully, he placed everything on the table and poured the beer with an almost artistic delicacy.
—Good evening, sir. My name is Sofi. I will be your escort tonight. It will be a privilege to be by your side—she said, her voice as soft as velvet.
—It will be even better for me if I get to enjoy your beautiful body—Luis replied, licking his lips as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him.
He picked up the china cup and drank like any other customer in the salon, though his tone had been loud enough to make several people turn to look at him with contempt. To many, he looked like a nouveau riche, an upstart who had come here on his father's fortune and not on his own merit.
From across the room, Prince Eduardo was enjoying his evening. But at the stranger's vulgar words, he frowned. Even if the place was a brothel, there were manners to be respected. This fellow was an aberration.
—Uff... the standard of this place is getting lower and lower—Eduardo muttered, annoyed.
Luis, oblivious—or pretending to be—continued to feed. Sofi was pouring food into his mouth, and at one point, he poured some of the beer over her breasts and drank directly from her skin. Then he began to nibble at her, like a wild animal. She didn't resist, just played along.
—Mmm... more delicious like this. Really, a skin made for pleasure.
Luci, who was still behind Luis, looked away in disgust. She knew it was all part of the plan. But even so, seeing him enjoy it so much gave her a mixture of distrust and disgust.
—Why don't you go to one and stop making a scene in here?—Eduardo spat, this time raising his voice.
Luis didn't respond. Instead, he bit Sofi's neck and pulled her even closer, pressing her body against his. Then he took a grape, placed it between his lips and kissed the woman, sharing the fruit with her provocatively.
The lack of response infuriated the prince. No one had ever ignored him like that before. Who did this fool think he was that he didn't acknowledge her presence? He motioned to one of his guards, who immediately moved forward, his hand already on the hilt of his sword.
But five metres away, the guard stopped dead in his tracks. A shiver ran down his spine. His body froze, unable to move. Suddenly, an ice arrow appeared floating in front of his neck, just inches away from touching him.
—Stay away from my master—Luci said in a deep, dark voice, full of unwavering authority.
The technique was gone in an instant, as if it had never existed. But the guard was drenched in cold sweat. He knew that one more step and he would be dead. He looked at Luis, who did not even deign to return his gaze, and simply continued to enjoy his companion's body as if nothing had happened.
The guard returned to the prince's table, still trembling.
Eduardo, enraged, jumped to his feet, kicking away the two women who were with him. He was red with anger.
—So he thinks he's a big shot? You have no idea who you've messed with... Follow me!—he shouted, and his guards rose to their feet in unison, weapons drawn.
The prince wanted to humiliate him. He wanted to see the face of this nobody when he discovered that he had just offended the future king of the kingdom.
Louis finally looked at him, with a slow, venomous smile.
—It looks like the canary decided to get into the cat's cage... Too bad," he laughed, "I thought he'd at least have some brains.