The messenger falcon's wings crackled with frost as it landed on Alpha Varran outstretched arm.
The parchment bore Adanna's distinctive script - the Lycaros princess— who had noticed the Assassins when they arrived at Blackfang village.
"Spies trail us," Varran read, "Unknown allegiance. The boy is unaware. Village vulnerable. Request backup."
Alpha Varran's massive hand closed around the message, his claws puncturing the paper. The air around him seemed to grow heavier, charged with barely restrained fury. Without turning from the cliff's edge where he stood overlooking his territory, he spoke in a voice that carried across the entire war camp.
"Elites! To me!"
The response was immediate. From the shadows between trees, from behind boulders, from the very darkness itself, twenty of the Lycaros' finest warriors materialized. Their armor - living oak that had been grown and shaped around their forms - creaked softly as they moved. Each wore the traditional war mask carved from the fangs of their first kill.
Alpha Varran turned to face them, his golden eyes reflecting the last light of day. "Adanna's scent leads east. Ride hard. Protect the heir." He paused, letting the weight of those words settle. "If those dogs have found them, they'll stop at nothing. We stop them first."
As the warriors prepared their mounts - great stag-like creatures bred for speed and silence - Alpha Varran approached the eldest among them, a grizzled veteran missing one ear. "Take the western ravine approach. If they've set watchers on the main trails, come at them from behind."
The old warrior nodded, understanding immediately. The Lycaros had protected Umoja's bloodline for generations. They wouldn't fail now.
Meanwhile, inside the largest cabin at the village's edge, Amari stood beside Zola near the window, speaking in a low voice as she mended a fishing net, his words slow and thoughtful. Kazi emerged from the room, crossing the creaky floorboards to pour himself a cup of water. He paused near the hearth, the firelight catching in his eyes as he took a sip.
The peaceful scene shattered as the door burst open. Adanna rushed in, her chest heaving, her golden eyes wide with alarm.
"Don't speak," she hissed, closing the door silently behind her. "There are armed men in the trees surrounding the village."
Amari froze mid speech before finally saying. "How many?"
Adanna's hears flared as she listened to sounds no human could hear. Her ear twitched - a distinctly un human gesture. "Enough to be trouble. More than just bandits. They're moving like Assassin's."
Zola rose silently and barred the back door, her face pale. "Why would the Assassin's come here? We've nothing of value."
Adanna's gaze flicked to Kazi, who stood frozen by the hearth, the ladle still in his hand. The princess's expression was enough.
Amari moved to the wall where his hunting bow hung. "Then we fight."
"No." Adanna's voice was steel. "You'll die. These aren't common bandits - they're likely King Ruzan's shadowblades. I can smell the palace oils on their weapons." She turned to Kazi. "You might want to come with me. Now."
Kazi's knife was in his hand before he'd decided to draw it. "I'm not hiding."
The door burst open with a crash.
Kazi didn't think - he just moved. Fast. His knife stabbed into the first attacker's neck before the man could step inside. Hot blood splashed Kazi's face.
"Another one!" Adanna shouted, but it was almost too late.
Kazi felt a blade cut his side as he turned. He smashed his elbow into the man's face - he heard the nose break. The attacker stumbled forward...
...right onto Amari's waiting knife.
"Go to the ravine!" Amari panted, pushing Kazi toward the back door. "Now!"
"I won't leave you!" Kazi shouted.
Then his mother screamed.
Kazi turned just in time to see the arrow hit his mother in the chest.
Everything seemed to stop.
Zola looked down at the arrow sticking out of her. She touched it gently, like when she picked loose threads from her clothes. Then her legs gave out.
"NO!"
Amari caught her as she fell, his scream of pain shaking the house. Kazi ran toward them -
Adanna grabbed his arm and pulled him back just as three more arrows hit the door. "They're trapping us!"
"My mother—"
"She's gone!" Adanna shouted. "Stay here and you'll die too!"
Then the wall exploded in flames.
Amari carefully laid Zola's body down. When he stood up, his eyes were different - empty and cold.
"Son," he said, and that one word sounded like goodbye.
Then he ran straight into the smoke and fire with just his small knife.
Kazi tried to follow, but Adanna held him tight. "Dying won't help them! Live to fight another day!"
He fought against her, scratching and biting like a wild animal.
A masked soldier appeared through the smoke, aiming a crossbow at Kazi.
Adanna move was faster. Her knife cut the man's wrists before he could shoot the arrow. The weapon fell. Kazi stabbed the soldier in the stomach.
More enemies were coming. Too many.
"Run now!" Adanna ordered.
They ran through the burning village. Kazi could only hear his own breathing and feel his mother's necklace in his bloody hand.
Suddenly they reached the cliff's edge. Far below, the sea crashed against rocks.
"Jump or die here," Adanna said.
An arrow cut Kazi's arm. Another almost hit his face.
Adanna didn't wait. She grabbed Kazi and jumped.
They fell for what felt like forever.
Then the cold ocean swallowed them.
The sound of war horns filled the air as the Lycaros soldiers reached the village—Too late. What they saw made their blood boil - houses burning, people screaming, and Ruzan's fake bandits killing everyone.
Commander roared like thunder: "Attack formation! Shields up!"
The Lycaros moved as one unit, their wooden shields locking together like a wall. They charged like a storm, spears ready.
The enemies turned too late.
Lycaros spears stabbed through armors. The commander himself bit out the captain's throat, spitting out the flesh. But Ruzan's men fought dirty - they shot fire arrows that exploded on impact. Three Lycaros warriors were blown into the flames.
The commander took an arrow to the leg but kept crawling toward the sea, still fighting.
"To the cliffs!" The commander shouted. "Find the heir and the princess!"
But deep under the waves, Kazi was drowning.
Adanna pulled him deeper, her strong arms dragging him down. Above them, they could see dark shapes jumping into the water - both Lycaros rescuers and enemies.
An arrow shot past Kazi's face in the water. He turned to see a masked soldier swimming at them with a knife.
And more enemies came.
Kazi's chest burned for air. His movements slowed. Just as an arrow was about pierce his heart , suddenly a Golden light erupted from KAZI and send shockwaves through the sea killing all the bandits in the sea.
Adanna was sent flying backward in, she struggled and gasped for air. When she finally found some air, she couldn't speak, she was surprised by the terrifying power that erupted from kazi's body and how the very large sea shakes, infact underwater animals seems to respect the power.
"What kind of power is this ?"