In a dark, damp cave far from Timberline, laughter echoed through the cold air.
"Hahaha! You did him dirty, Touka," sneered Sorin Duskrend, the man who had stabbed Jax. His smirk was laced with amusement. "Poor bastard actually expected a 'thank you' from you."
Touka Amatsuki, the white-haired masked girl, sighed, shaking off her coat. The chill of the cave clung to her skin as she spoke. "We have to stay underground for a while because of the mess you two created."
Sorin scoffed, leaning against the rough, damp cave wall. "The mess we created? You were the one who got caught first. We should be thanking that idiot for saving you."
Without a word, Touka removed her mask, revealing striking violet eyes that almost glowed in the dim light. Her expression was calm, yet cold. "I would have escaped without killing them. You two interfered."
Sorin smirked, his gaze flicking to her eyes. "Heh, oh really? You were about to unleash your Kendra energy." He let out a low chuckle. "Look at your freaky purple eyes—they're even scarier than your hair. And your face…" His grin widened as he tilted his head mockingly. "It looks like it's trying to escape the rest of your body."
Touka shot him a cold glare but didn't respond.
With an irritated grunt, Sorin yanked off his own mask. "What are you looking at, bitch?" He turned to the towering man beside him. "Hey, Barnnor, I look good, right?"
Barnnor Stonebreaker, the hulking brute wielding a massive double-handed hammer, barely glanced his way. His deep, gravelly voice rumbled through the cave. "I don't care."
Touka smirked slightly as she adjusted her coat. "You sure are insecure about your face."
Sorin's smirk twitched with irritation. His fingers flexed as if itching to grab his weapon. "Hey, Barnnor, let's just kill this bitch right here. Earlier, she said we screwed everything up."
Barnnor exhaled heavily, cracking his thick knuckles. His heavy brow furrowed as he thought for a moment.
Before he could speak, Touka's voice cut through the tension, this time serious. "We're already in the spotlight. It's only a matter of time before the king makes his move on us."
Barnnor grunted, shifting his hammer against his broad shoulder. "From what I've heard, the King of Stromspire is a madman. He nearly conquered this entire continent."
His deep-set eyes narrowed as he continued. "Hell, he even tried to take the Great Suryavansh Empire. That was his first real defeat."
Sorin leaned forward slightly, intrigued. "And since then, we haven't seen him make a move..."
A tense silence settled between them, the only sound being the distant dripping of water echoing deeper within the cave.
"Crushing the King's head would be much more satisfying, hehehe," Barnnor chuckled darkly as he removed his mask. His brown skin was marked with deep blade scars, and a slow, creepy smile spread across his face.
Sorin scoffed. "Are you kidding? Even the boss warned us not to go after him." His tone carried a hint of unease. "We were ordered to find that double-handed sword—the King's sword. That's what the boss told us to do."
"The King's sword, you say? So we do have to face the King to get it," Barnnor said, cracking his knuckles.
Sorin rolled his eyes. "Hey, idiot, were you even listening to the boss?" He crossed his arms, irritated. "He got intel that the King isn't using the sword for some reason. Instead, he's hidden it somewhere safe."
Touka, adjusting her coat, glanced at them. "And where exactly is this 'safe place'?"
Sorin smirked. "The boss believes it's in Bastionspire. Ever since the capital of Stromspire Kingdom was moved, all the attention has shifted away from it."
Touka frowned, her violet eyes narrowing. "And what if the sword isn't there? If I were the King, I'd keep it with me at all times."
"Are you doubting our boss?" Sorin asked, narrowing his eyes at Touka.
She remained unfazed, adjusting her coat. "I just told you my point. That's why we can head for Bastionspire next."
Barnnor grunted. "Stealing something isn't my style. Don't expect much from me."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll guide you two idiots," Sorin muttered before eyeing Touka's hair with a smirk. "First, do something about your hair."
Touka raised an eyebrow. "Should I go bald?"
Sorin scoffed. "No, you'd look even freakier. Just dye it black, idiot."
Touka rolled her eyes while Barnnor let out a low chuckle.
Meanwhile, Sorin sighed internally. Why am I always surrounded by these idiots?
The first weak sunlight came through the cracks in the wooden shutters of the Timberline infirmary, making dusty lines on the rough wooden floor.
A dull pain spread through Duke's body, reminding him of the terrible fight in the snow. He lay still, eyes open but not really looking at anything. The memories of last night kept playing in his mind. Jax's desperate grip. The awful sound of the hammer. The cold, sharp words of the masked girl.
His fingers twitched as a sharp pain shot through his ribs—almost like she had just stomped on him again. His body hurt, but the feeling inside was worse. It was like something had been ripped away, leaving only emptiness where his confidence used to be. He had run forward to help, thinking he could make a difference. But they had knocked him down like he was nothing.
Helpless.
The word repeated in his mind, again and again, making his chest feel even heavier.
A quiet sound broke through his thoughts. He turned slightly, his sore muscles protesting, and saw Jack sitting in a small chair next to the bed. The soft morning light outlined his figure, making the shadows on his face clearer.
"Hey, Duke, I heard from Frederick about what happened last night," Jack said, his voice heavy with guilt. "I'm sorry… If I had done my job perfectly, this wouldn't have happened. It's all my fault."
Duke let out a slow breath, his body still aching. He turned his head slightly to look at Jack, noticing the way his friend's hands were clenched into fists. "Hey, Jack, it's not your fault," Duke said, his voice quieter but firm. "Neither of us could have done anything."
"I saw two people die right in front of me... It's not a good feeling," Duke said, his voice strained. "There was nothing I could do. If it weren't for Jax, I would've died too. I won't let him down."
He clenched his fists, his jaw tightening with determination. "The only thing we should think about now is how to get stronger."
"Let's become stronger together, Duke," Jack said, determination in his voice.
Before Duke could respond, the door creaked open. Frederick stepped inside, his sharp gaze sweeping over them. "First, you both need to eat if you want to get stronger," he said firmly.
"Sir Frederick," Jack acknowledged, standing up.
Frederick crossed his arms. "Jack, step outside. I need to talk to Duke."
"Yes, sir," Jack nodded. He turned to Duke with a small smile. "See ya, Duke." Then, he left the room, closing the door behind him.
As soon as Jack was gone, Duke clenched his fists, his shoulders trembling. His voice wavered as he spoke. "Sir Frederick… the guilt of watching them die, of not being able to do anything... It won't go away." His breath hitched, and tears welled in his eyes. "What should I do?"
Frederick exhaled deeply, his expression unreadable. "Stain and I had a friend once... Reckless, with a strong sense of justice—just like you. He died right in front of our eyes."
Duke's breath caught in his throat, his fists tightening around the blanket.
"For a month, we carried the weight of that guilt," Frederick continued, his voice steady but heavy. "It ate away at us." He met Duke's eyes. "The reason Stain fought you wasn't out of hatred. It was because he saw his friend in you. He wanted to teach you to be less reckless... so you wouldn't meet the same fate."
"He had great potential," Frederick continued, his gaze distant. "Stronger than both of us… just like you have potential, Duke."
Duke swallowed hard, his chest tightening.
"I won't… I promise," Duke said, quickly wiping his tears away, his voice filled with quiet determination.
"Good. Now eat something and get some rest. We'll be heading toward Bastionspire soon."
"Yes, sir," Duke replied, gripping the blanket tighter. He would get stronger. No more helplessness. No more regrets.