Two Arrow Mark Six fliers hovered half a mile above ground, the narrow streets and squat buildings of Sacrament City forming a hive-like pattern beneath them, perceivable only from such a height. Directly below was Madame Chi Chi’s famous brothel. Above, a thick coat of slow, dark clouds stretched endlessly in all directions. Against this backdrop, their darksteel speeders were nearly invisible.

  Cade and Gorgo sat comfortably in their fliers, the wind whistling around them, their communication gems quietly active as they kept watch on the skies in Kettle’s direction. The young Asura felt there was something singular about observing the world from this height—like an all-seeing god surveying his domain.

  “Maybe he’ll show up tonight,” Gorgo said, breaking the comfortable silence as his raspy voice came through the comms gem.

  The gray warrior wore his usual reinforced leather armor, but this time a deep hood and a lacquered wooden mask shaped like a snarling ape concealed his features. His eyes were hidden by two inserts made of special crystal, which allowed him to see everything while concealing his unique white eyes from the outside. With these additions, not only was Gorgo’s face hidden, but even the color of his skin was impossible to tell.

  “Hope so. I’ve been on pins and needles this entire time, to be honest. Don’t really know why,” Cade replied, a nervous edge in his voice. Compared to his brother, Cade felt a little underdressed in his plain brown robes.

  “We’ve talked about this. Even if Veronica knew exactly where the tunnel exit was—and she didn’t—there’s no way she could have returned and warned anyone in such a short time,” Gorgo reassured him.

  “I know you’re right. But I can’t shake this nagging sense of unease. It’s almost... physical. A vague, pressing sensation at the back of my head. Maybe it's a signal I missed something vital, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out what it is.”

  Gorgo raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t mention this before.”

  “That’s because at first, it was barely noticeable. I brushed it off. But over the last couple of days, it’s been getting stronger. I’m really at my wits' end,” Cade said, his expression tightening.

  “Maybe it’s some secret ability that’s part of your cultivation technique?”

  Cade had never shared the full truth about his origins. With Gorgo, he revealed only as much as he safely could. Master Lao Ren had been adamant—his identity had to stay hidden—and Cade knew better than to take that lightly. He trusted Gorgo with his life, but the less his brother knew, the safer he would be. That was why Gorgo remained unaware of the Book of Life.

  “I guess it’s possible. I feel that if I ignore this feeling, I’ll be making a big mistake.”

  “Alright, then we don’t ignore it. Maybe we shelve the Griswold situation for now. Take care of our personal matters, meet up again in a year or two, and see how the land lies,” Gorgo offered.

  Cade was tempted. It was the safest option. But he also knew this was his best shot at Griswold. A heavy sense of guilt continued to weigh him down. He knew his mother wouldn’t want him to take revenge. She’d worry. She’d say nothing would bring her back, that no amount of bloodshed would change a thing.

  But Cade couldn’t let it go. He was like a wolf that had already tasted blood and wasn’t about to quit midway through the meal.

  “I’ll have to be extra careful. I can’t leave this matter unresolved. Before I sold the spider carcasses, I extracted all the silk and paid to have it woven into a rope. We’re going to use it to tie up Griswold. Not even a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator could tear apart such bindings. Even if he’s hiding some trump cards, he’ll have a hard time using them without his storage ring and with his hands and feet bound.”

  “Alright, we’ll go with your plan. But if anything feels off, retreat.”

  “You bet,” Cade nodded, grateful for his concern.

  “What if tonight is the night?” Gorgo asked, biting into an apple.

  “Probably not.”

  “Yeah, I didn’t think so either.”

  “Cade, look!” Gorgo pointed at the horizon.

  Cade pulled away from the book he was reading, sharpening his vision, and magnifying the distant shape. It was a dark silhouette of a personal speeder, larger and broader than their Arrow Six models, with two sets of horizontal stabilizers and a tail fin. From this distance, the pilot was still a tiny, blurry speck.

  “That’s an Arrow Nine, no doubt,” Cade said, a flicker of excitement in his voice.

  “Finally!” Gorgo cracked his knuckles. “Six nights of waiting like a couple of watchdogs for this bastard.”

  “Wait. I haven’t confirmed it’s him yet. Oh—he’s heading toward the pagoda,” Cade said as the speeder began its descent. The rider’s silhouette gradually emerged as the speeder got closer. It was a man.

  Thump.

  Cade’s voracious heart beat unusually low and deep, like a predator growling before going for the kill, resonating through his bones.

  Thump.

  His blood surged. He saw that hateful, pockmarked face—the one etched into his memory—and his heart grew hot in response.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Gorgo suddenly caught a sharp metallic scent, and his blood churned. What had once been a calm sea became a raging current, no longer obeying his will. “Cade… something’s wrong with me,” he gasped. Even breathing became a struggle.

  But Cade didn’t answer. He couldn’t hear anything other than the distinct, hypnotic drumming of his heart, arriving right after the powerful thumps receded. The mysterious drumming ended abruptly, and a crimson mist began to seep from his pores, glowing softly and spreading outward like a contagion. It gave Gorgo a sense of mortal danger. For a moment, his mind froze in terror, staring at the mist as it spread like a bloody cloud.

  “Cade!” Gorgo finally forced out a strangled scream.

  The cry luckily broke through the haze. Cade turned to him, disoriented, the mist swiftly retreating into his body. “What… what happened?”

  Gorgo’s blood began to settle. He gasped for air, then fell into a fit of coughing. “Fucking hell, I nearly suffocated,” he rasped once the cough subsided. Seeing that his friend didn’t understand what had happened, the warrior explained. “At first, there was an intense scent of blood, and just raising my arm took effort. I felt like a fly falling into a jar of honey, struggling with each move. Then you started leaking this glowing red mist… Let me tell you, it was absolutely terrifying and unlike any cultivation art I’ve ever seen or heard about. I couldn’t breathe or think straight. I’ve never felt so helpless.”

  “Shit—Gorgo, I’m sorry!” Cade blurted out. “I saw that bastard’s face and… it was like something possessed me. I… I don't know what happened.” He felt lost, having no recollection of the event.

  Gorgo was quick to wave the matter off. “It’s not like you did it on purpose. This mist is worth looking into, though. It might be a spontaneous ability manifestation, like those cultivators with rare physiques occasionally experience.”

  “I have no idea how or why it appeared, but I will definitely find out. Forgive me, brother,” Cade cupped his fist.

  “Don’t worry about it. At least I’m no longer drowsy,” Gorgo chuckled. “Better tell me, is it Griswold?”

  “Oh, it’s definitely him. I’m tracking him with my life sense. He’s currently walking up the pagoda stairs,” Cade said. “Fingers crossed he trips and breaks his neck.”

  “Don’t count on it,” Gorgo replied dryly. He was convinced karmic retribution was a bunch of rubbish.

  “One can only hope,” Cade muttered. “Alright. Let’s do this. Keep an eye on me so you know…”

  “Yes, yes,” Gorgo cut in. “I’ll be watching. Like a hawk. So don’t worry.”

  Cade nodded and descended in his Arrow, stopping just above the pagoda roof where brown shingles covered its surface. He stepped off with care, swiping the speeder into his red band. Each footfall was placed with precision as he followed his life sense to the roof’s edge. Below lay a modest but immaculately kept garden—winding stone paths, trimmed bushes, and softly burbling fountains, all bathed in the warm glow of dim sunstones. It was clear this place offered more than just pleasures of the flesh; it was a sanctuary, a luxury retreat in the heart of a bustling, filthy city. It also hinted at just how profitable Madame Chi Chi’s venture truly was.

  Griswold reached the fourth floor before finally stopping. For Cade, descending the pagoda via balcony beams was no more difficult than taking a stroll. His only concern was avoiding anyone directly below, as each balcony was mostly concealed from others by wooden privacy screens. Within a few breaths, Cade dropped onto the overhang above Griswold's chamber and flattened his body against the rust-colored tiles. The fifth-floor guest seemed highly distracted, so Cade wasn’t overly concerned about being seen, though at that moment he wished his hearing was a little less sensitive. Instead, he chose to focus on the voices coming from the room below.

  “Mmm… My big bear finally decided to visit me. What took you so long?” a sultry voice said.

  Cade barely stifled a snort.

  “It’s just work, baby. Just work. Did you really miss me?” came the male reply—the hateful voice Cade had etched into memory.

  “How could I not miss my Grizzly Gris…” the woman purred.

  Oh, for fuck’s sake. Cade repeated his calming mantra, unable to keep a grimace of disgust from his face. Luckily, his patience was soon rewarded, and the couple turned their attention to other, more pressing matters, which made the situation only slightly better.

  Once things in the room began heating up, Cade rolled off the overhang, grabbed the supporting beam beneath it, and pulled himself onto the balcony below in one smooth motion. His feet touched the wooden floor with barely a sound, his dark, billowing robes wrapping tightly around his silhouette like a huge raven folding its wings. He stayed crouched for a few breaths, scanning with both his hearing and life sense for any sign of commotion. Once certain he wasn’t noticed, Cade pulled a small cup and a jug of water from his ring, along with three small pills. Approaching the balcony door with care, he eased it open just enough for the cup to slip through.

  Once the cup was placed inside, Cade dropped in the sleeping gas pills, then carefully closed the door. Now, all that remained was to wait. Initially, nothing happened. However, after an incense stick’s worth of time, Cade heard Griswold yawn loudly.

  “Shit, I must be more tired than I thought. Let me take a quick nap.”

  “Rest and relax, honey, you’ve been working so hard lately. I’ll be here with you,” Ruby said softly, weariness thick in her voice.

  Only half an incense stick later, both of them were snoring.

  A sinister smile curled his lips under the mask. He glanced up, where Gorgo watched patiently from a distance. Without life sense, spotting the dark speeder against the moonless night sky would have been nearly impossible. Noticing Cade’s glance, the big warrior gave him a thumbs-up.

  Cade nodded, then slowly pushed through the door. Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the dim room, where the hated silhouette of Griswold Brightheart lay sprawled across a large bed, a beautiful woman with fiery red hair beside him. Fortunately, the man had managed to put on his underclothes before passing out, sparing Cade further trauma. Ruby was curled up and mostly wrapped in a blanket, yet even so, the exaggerated curves of her figure were obvious.

  He expected Griswold to stay unconscious for roughly a quarter of a day. With his cultivation still in Qi Condensation, the sleeping gas pills were highly effective. As for Ruby, a mortal, she wouldn’t wake until early afternoon the next day. Cade first searched Griswold’s clothing, then checked his body for storage artifacts. He removed a plain golden band from the man’s finger, sliding it into his pocket.

  Cade looked around one final time, making sure he hadn’t missed anything, then opened the balcony door. He hoisted Griswold over his shoulder, continuously repeating the calming mantra to keep his rage under control. Red spots danced in his vision, his hands itching to rip the bastard’s head off. He glanced at the sky, where Gorgo was already descending. Cade swiftly handed over Griswold’s limp form to Gorgo, who ascended right after. Within half a breath, his Arrow’s dark silhouette vanished. The entire exchange had passed in near-complete silence.

  With no one in sight, Cade quickly made his way back to the top of the pagoda’s roof, where he retrieved his own flier and shot off after Gorgo.

  Suddenly, the unease at the back of his head sharpened into an urgent pressure. A bad premonition fell upon him like a dark cloud, and he instinctively turned his head towards the golden ziggurat in the middle of the city.

  Not good!

  Cade’s urgent voice filled the comms gem. “Fly at full speed, brother. Big trouble is coming.”