The blood had barely dried when dawn's first light spilled over the sect. Arhaan buried the assassins' remains deep within Ashfang Woods, his chains carving the earth like blades.
Yet whispers already spread. Too many had seen shadows slip toward his quarters, but none had seen them return.
By morning, the sect was buzzing.
---
Whispers of Fear
"He's cursed—anyone who opposes him dies."
"No, he's using demonic arts! How else could he survive an ambush by four blades?"
"If the elders don't act, he'll bring calamity to the sect!"
Even as the disciples muttered, none dared approach him directly. Fear had taken root deeper than jealousy.
---
The Veiled Woman
That night, as Arhaan sat beneath a lonely tree on the cliffside, a soft voice drifted through the wind.
"You hide your power poorly."
His chains tightened instinctively. He rose, turning toward the source.
From the shadows stepped a woman draped in flowing black, her face concealed by a silk veil. Her presence was unlike the others—calm, composed, yet carrying a weight that pressed against his chest.
Arhaan narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"
She stopped a few paces away, the moonlight catching her veil.
"Names matter little. But you may call me Selene."
"…Why are you here?"
Her gaze lingered on the faint glow of his chains.
"To warn you. And to offer you a choice."
---
The Offer
Selene's voice was low, but each word struck like thunder.
"The sect elders already suspect you. They will not allow a rootless stray to wield power greater than their chosen disciples. If you stay, they will crush you."
Arhaan's jaw tightened.
"Then let them try."
A soft laugh escaped her veil. "Bold. But foolish."
She stepped closer, the scent of cold night air clinging to her.
"There are those beyond this sect who would value your gift. Who would nurture it, rather than fear it. Walk with me, and I will show you a path… not bound by chains, but by choice."
Arhaan's chains rattled faintly, torn between instinct and curiosity.
"…And why help me?"
For the first time, her voice softened, almost like a whisper.
"Because I once carried chains too."