Tiberku stared at him intently, the bow still slung over his shoulder, his voice calm but harsh:
— "Everything could have been easier if you hadn't run like a madman back then, in the village. I told you I only wanted some food and a word, but you disappeared before understanding anything."
Renji blinked rapidly, still breathing heavily, his injured leg trembling as he gripped his sword. He remembered that moment, the archer's cloak and the cold gaze he had felt back then.
— "How was I supposed to know you weren't just another hunter trying to sell me out? I was alone, and I couldn't take the risk."
Tiberku pulled his hood back, letting his face be seen fully for the first time. His gaze was hard, but not hostile.
— "And because you ran, you almost died. If you had listened back then, that demon wouldn't have caught you here, and I don't even know why you are here now."
Renji gritted his teeth, feeling his anger mix with shame. His sword trembled in his hands, not from weakness, but from the tension burning in his chest.
— "Maybe you're right… but if you were in my place, would you have trusted a stranger with a cloak and dry words? You don't know what I've lost."
Tiberku didn't answer immediately. He watched him for a few moments, as if trying to read beyond Renji's words. Then he exhaled shortly.
— "Then learn not to waste time. Every step you take alone brings you closer to the end. With me, you have a chance. Without me, everything you've seen here will be just the beginning."
Renji bit his lip, feeling his breathing tighten. Tiberku's words struck him where it hurt the most: in the core of his fear of repeating the same mistake.
Tiberku approached Renji and began dressing his wound with precise movements. He poured the bitter liquid over the flesh, and Renji clenched his teeth as the burn pierced to the bone.
— "Stay still. If I don't close this now, you'll lose your leg."
Renji tried to distract himself from the pain. His gaze fell on Tiberku's bow, resting against the collapsed wall. The dark wood seemed alive, and the arrows, still faintly gleaming, had a strange, almost organic shape.
— "Your bow…" Renji said in a low voice. "And the arrows… they're not normal. Where do they come from?"
Tiberku tightened the bandage knot, then lifted the bow and showed it without hesitation.
— "The bow and arrows are like this for one reason. Demon blood. It runs through me and feeds the weapon. Not from wood, not from iron. Everything is born from this curse."
Renji stared at him, wide-eyed, shocked.
— "Demon blood…?" he murmured.
His heart pounded in his chest. In a flash, Kaizen's memory surged into his mind. He saw the armor again, Kaizen's sword pulsing the same, as if alive.
— "And Kaizen… has the same power…" Renji thought, feeling his blood run cold. "His weapon… his armor… are the same."
Tiberku tightened his pack and slung the bow over his shoulder. He glanced briefly at Renji, then said firmly:
— "Can you move? We need to leave now. People will come after the noise."
Renji tried to rise, but his bandaged leg immediately betrayed him. He collapsed back, leaning on his sword.
— "No… not yet…" he muttered, breathing heavily.
In the distance, the sound of marching grew, muffled by clashing armor and weapons. Tiberku turned his head and saw a column of soldiers advancing toward the tavern ruins.
— "Damn," he whispered. "There are too many."
He turned to Renji and tried to lift him onto his back. Renji wrapped his arms around Tiberku's shoulders, but after a few steps, they realized the pace was far too slow.
— "It's not working…" Renji muttered through gritted teeth, ashamed of his own weakness.
Tiberku clenched his jaw, then set him down beside a collapsed wall. He looked him straight in the eyes with cold determination.
— "Listen to me. I'll come back to help you. But now, you have to tell the soldiers that bandits did this. If anyone recognizes you, don't say anything—just accept your fate. Understand?"
Renji stared at him, stunned.
— "What? You're leaving me here?"
Tiberku pulled his hood over his face. The sound of the soldiers was already near.
— "You've got a good mouth, use it. Tell the right story, and they'll believe you. Remember: bandits. Nothing else."
Without waiting for a response, Tiberku dashed from the shadows of the ruins and vanished, leaving Renji breathless and heart-stricken.
The crowd of soldiers drew closer and closer.
Renji leaned against the wall, feeling fear clutch his chest. The soldiers approached, and his only chance of escape was luck.
When they reached him, one soldier immediately raised his sword.
— "Who are you? What happened here?" he asked sharply.
Renji gathered all his courage and answered as calmly as he could:
— "I… I was just passing by the tavern. A lot of bandits appeared and started attacking. I tried to escape."
— "And where do you live? You don't seem from around here."
Renji felt a lump in his throat. He scrambled for a quick answer:
— "In a village on the far side of the city. It's… small and almost unknown."
The soldiers exchanged glances, suspicion flickering in their eyes. One furrowed his brow and pulled a crumpled parchment from his armor. He unfolded it in the torchlight, the face printed on it clearly illuminated.
It was Renji's face.
The soldier held the poster up to the others and said coldly:
— "He's wanted. There's a large reward."
Renji's heart stopped for a moment. He felt his blood run cold, every soldier's gaze piercing him like blades.
One soldier raised his shield and entered the ruined tavern. His steps echoed across the broken floorboards, and after a few moments, a shout rang out.
— "Commander! There are… so many bodies here! Everyone's dead!"
The harsh sunlight fell over the ruins, revealing dried blood and the shadows of fallen bodies. The rest of the soldiers turned abruptly toward Renji. In the daylight, his face was visible, dirty with dust and flecked with blood.
Swords were raised one by one.
— "Did you do this?" a soldier shouted. "You're the only one breathing here!"
Renji raised his hands, trying to appear calm.
— "Not me! I said, bandits attacked!"
But his voice was cut off by the commander, who fixed him with a harsh gaze.
— "Now I understand… it's no wonder Kaizen takes such an interest in you. If you were capable of killing so many people in a tavern, then you are exactly the one the rumors spoke of."
Renji felt the sunlight, which should have brought safety, become a spotlight condemning him. Kaizen's name echoed relentlessly in his mind.
The soldiers closed in, raising their weapons, surrounding Renji from all sides. His sword was useless here; he wasn't a criminal, and his injured leg made it impossible to move quickly.
— "Don't move!" one of them shouted, grabbing him by the shoulders.
Renji tried to protest, but their strength was overwhelming. They seized his arms and lifted him off the ground, preventing any attempt at escape.
— "We're taking him to Marvek," another soldier said coldly. "There, in prison, he will answer for everything he's done."
Renji felt his stomach tighten. His heart pounded wildly, and his mind desperately sought a way out.
— "No! I didn't do this!" he shouted. "I told you it wasn't me…"
But the soldiers ignored him. Armed and ready, they forced him forward along the dusty road toward the city of Marvek.
The sun shone mercilessly over the tavern ruins and the devastated fields, each step weighing heavily on Renji. Every soldier seemed certain they had captured a criminal, and he was powerless in their hands.
— Kaizen gave the order to all: "When you catch him, send a letter immediately to Marvek," one soldier murmured to another. "Kaizen will come urgently when informed and take personal charge."
Renji felt his blood heat in his veins. Kaizen's name, spoken with authority, made his heart beat even faster.
The soldiers and Renji finally reached the gates of Marvek. The massive walls and tall gates dominated the view, sunlight casting shadows over the group. Renji was supported by two soldiers, each step agonizing for his shattered leg.
At the entrance, a man stood motionless. His hood covered his face, his posture calm but alert. Renji recognized him immediately: Tiberku. A small hope pierced his heart; he had not been abandoned.
— "What happened with this man?" Tiberku asked, his voice calm and authoritative. "Why are you bringing him into the city?"
One soldier, surprised by the unexpected question, answered quickly:
— "He's a criminal. He committed many crimes and must be judged."
Tiberku crossed his arms and studied the group carefully, calculating every detail.
— "And will he be judged here or sent to his hometown? He doesn't seem to be from here."
The soldier answered without hesitation:
— "He will stay here until Kaizen arrives. That was the order."
Tiberku nodded slightly, showing no emotion. In his mind, everything made sense.
— "Perfect," he murmured to himself. "Everything is going according to plan. Now I know how much time I have to free Renji."
Renji felt hope slowly fill his heart. Even though he was still in the soldiers' hands and injured, Tiberku's presence and calm gave him a thread of confidence: help was near, and the plan for his escape was starting to take shape.
The soldiers pushed Renji through the massive city gates. The sound of boots and weapons echoed between the walls, while passersby cast curious or contemptuous glances. Renji felt every step like a sentence, and the pain in his leg made movement difficult.
Tiberku stayed at the edge of the gate, invisible to the soldiers, observing everything carefully. He didn't approach or interact with anyone, but every gesture and word from the soldiers was noted precisely. In his mind, the plan was forming: he knew exactly where Renji would be imprisoned and how long until Kaizen arrived in the city.
— "Good. Just as I anticipated… right where he needs to be."
Renji was led through the city streets to the massive prison building. Thick walls and heavy gates inspired fear. The soldiers ignored his protests and didn't ask questions; they simply carried out their duty.
Once inside, they pushed him into the cell and chained him to the cold walls. Renji felt the chill and isolation in every fiber of his being. His eyes filled with fear, but also determination: he knew Tiberku was watching somewhere, preparing to intervene.
Tiberku monitored his plan from afar, studying every detail: how many soldiers guarded the entrance, how the cells were arranged, where the weak points were. He breathed calmly, every second adding essential information to his strategy.
— "Now… everything depends on timing," Tiberku said. "I just need to wait for the right moment. Renji, hold strong… your time is coming."
Renji, alone in the cell, felt adrenaline mix with pain and fear. Tiberku's presence, invisible to the world, gave him hope that he had not been abandoned and that escape was possible.
Night had fallen over Marvek, and the prison cells seemed colder and more oppressive than ever. Renji was strapped to the wall, the heavy chains binding his hands and feet, forcing him to remain upright and still. Every movement caused pain, and his heart pounded wildly, feeling the isolation surrounding him from all sides.
From the shadow of the walls, Tiberku slipped to one of the small windows overlooking Renji's cell. His eyes assessed everything carefully, catching the faint moonlight.
— "Renji," he whispered, his calm but determined voice passing through the bars. "Tomorrow night I will get you out of here. You just need to be careful. Watch when the shifts change and don't move too early. The chains hold you here, but stay calm. Everything must be perfectly timed."
Renji turned toward the window, surprised and relieved. His eyes shone in the darkness, and his heart raced, feeling for the first time a real chance of escape.
— "I have to stay chained to the wall and wait?" he asked, his voice trembling.
— "Yes," Tiberku replied calmly. "Don't try to free yourself alone. If you make a mistake, everything will be lost. Tomorrow night, at the right moment, you will be free."
Renji felt adrenaline fill his chest. Behind the bars, the chains held him captive, each second of waiting testing his patience and courage. But knowing Tiberku was there, close, invisible to everyone else, gave him the strength to endure.
Tiberku withdrew his shadow and slipped back into the night, observing the cell and the guards' shifts, planning every detail for the exact moment he would free Renji.
Renji closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply, feeling the tension ease slightly. Nothing spectacular had happened, just a moment of quiet, but for him, it was enough to gather strength for what was to come.
— "Tomorrow night…" he murmured to himself, feeling for the first time that he could still hope.