Dorian Valthorne stood on a high platform within the fortress, overlooking the chaotic battlefield below. A smirk of pure amusement played across his sharp features as he watched events unfold like a master observing pieces moving across a game board.
Flickering torchlight cast jagged shadows across his face, making his golden eyes seem to glow with barely contained excitement.
He leaned casually against the stone railing, arms folded, his elegant noble attire somehow remaining pristine despite the blood and destruction from clearing prior floors.
Fire Kingdom guards scrambled through the corridors in pursuit of their escaped prisoners, their desperate shouts echoing off stone walls.
Several dozen meters away, Kael and his group carved their path forward with ruthless efficiency, leaving bodies in their wake.
Dorian chuckled, the sound rich with mockery. "Fascinating."
Behind him, a retinue of four heavily armored knights and ten well-dressed followers stood in respectful silence. They'd been observing this deadly game of cat-and-mouse for some time now, waiting for their master's command.
A woman stepped forward, violet eyes flickering with interest as she glanced between Dorian and the chaos below. Her armor fit her form perfectly, accentuating rather than concealing — a deliberate choice that made her both alluring and threatening in equal measure.
Evelyne Crowne. Knight, confidante, and the person who understood Dorian better than anyone.
"What are your orders, Young Master?" she asked, tone respectful but edged with her own amusement.
Dorian didn't answer immediately. Instead, his smirk widened as he turned to face her fully. Without warning or hesitation, his hand slid around her waist, pulling her against him in one smooth motion.
She didn't resist.
His lips crashed against hers, the kiss heated and possessive. Evelyne responded in kind, melting into his embrace while his fingers traced the curves of her armor-clad body with familiar ease.
The kiss lasted long seconds, as though they had all the time in the world despite the battle raging below.
The knights and followers behind them exchanged knowing glances. Some of the women flushed and looked away demurely. The men simply grinned, this was far from the first time they'd witnessed such displays.
When Dorian finally broke the kiss, he gave her rear a possessive squeeze before releasing her entirely and turning his attention back to the scene below. Evelyne pouted playfully, breath still coming faster than normal.
"This," Dorian mused, watching Kael's group sprint toward a wooden bridge, "perfectly demonstrates the old saying... 'The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.'"
His fingers drummed against the stone railing in a lazy rhythm that barely concealed his excitement.
"I am the oriole, Evelyne," he murmured, eyes gleaming with predatory satisfaction. "And soon, my prey will exhaust itself."
His entourage shifted attentively, watching him with expressions of admiration for his strategic genius.
Evelyne tilted her head, intrigued. "So we simply wait?"
Dorian's chuckle was dark and amused. "Of course."
He gestured lazily toward the battlefield below.
"Why waste my strength when the Fire Kingdom does all the work for me?" His smirk widened further. "Let them struggle. Let them wear themselves down fighting desperate odds. And when the perfect moment arrives..."
He extended his hand, slowly clenching his fingers into a fist.
"...I claim everything they've fought so hard to protect."
---
Meanwhile, Kael and his group raced toward the wooden bridge, their movements precise despite the relentless pursuit hammering at their heels.
Smoke curled into the night sky behind them as portions of the fortress burned from Mira's lightning strikes.
Mira glanced back briefly, breathing hard. "They're closing the distance!"
Sera didn't waste breath responding. She was already nocking another arrow, her archer's eye constantly scanning their surroundings for tactical advantages.
Kael's tactical mind raced through scenarios. The bridge was their only viable escape route, but once they crossed it, they'd be completely exposed on open terrain. No walls or boulders for cover. No defensive positions.
A killing field.
"Damn it," he hissed through clenched teeth.
In the corner of his vision, the quest timer continued its relentless countdown.
[Time Remaining: 00:40:31]
He still hadn't chosen.
Break the Chains. Let the War Burn. Blood for Peace. The three options hovered in his consciousness like blades pressed against his throat, each one demanding a different sacrifice.
He wouldn't call himself a saint by any measure. But he wasn't someone with completely flexible morals either. There were lines even he wouldn't cross without serious consideration.
Each option was feasible in its own way. But the path of least resistance, the one that would end his current problems most definitively, would be executing the royals. A clean option with no more complications.
He hated being stressed. Hated complications.
His silver eyes flicked to the bound royals they were dragging along. Prince Dain remained silent, but fury burned in his gaze like banked coals. Princess Elira had grown suddenly docile after several near-death experiences in rapid succession, fear finally penetrating her noble arrogance.
Kael's gaze lingered on Lord Arid, and his eyes narrowed slightly. 'Something's off about that one.'
The middle-aged noble seemed almost entertained by their desperate flight, as if this were all a fascinating show rather than a life-or-death situation. In contrast, King Eldrin just looked... empty. Hollow. Like a shell going through motions.
Kael exhaled harshly. "Not yet. We survive first. Then I decide."
"Keep moving!" he barked, leading the charge onto the wooden bridge. Behind them, the pursuing guards showed no signs of slowing.
The Fire Kingdom soldiers were nothing if not determined.
Suddenly, a sharp whistle cut through the air, the distinctive sound of something large being launched.
Before Kael could even process the threat—
BOOM!
An explosion of concentrated magical energy struck the bridge's center support. Wooden planks shattered like kindling, the entire structure beginning its catastrophic collapse.
"Fuck!" Kael cursed, twisting his body mid-air as the ground disappeared beneath them.
Mira screamed. Sera spun desperately, trying to fire an arrow even as she fell.
The world tilted violently.
Kael's breath caught as gravity seized them all. The gorge yawned beneath them, a dark maw promising broken bones and death.
They plunged downward into darkness.
---
From his elevated vantage point, Dorian laughed, a genuine sound of delight.
The explosion had been perfectly timed.
One of his followers, an Earth Mage they'd recruited, lowered his hands with a smug grin. "Direct hit, Young Master."
"Excellent work," Dorian praised, eyes never leaving the collapsing bridge. "Now let's see if my little mantis survives the fall."
His gaze tracked the falling figures with predatory focus.
Evelyne chuckled beside him, leaning against his shoulder. "And if he does survive?"
Dorian's grin widened into something sharp and dangerous. "Then we make our move. Either way..." He paused, savoring the moment. "...this night ends with me claiming what I want."
His golden eyes gleamed in the firelight, watching the gorge where Kael and his group had disappeared into shadow.