Agony and disbelief flooded Flaxseed‘s eyes. He clenched his fists so tight that his nails carved Into his palms, blood seeping through his fingers and dripping to the floor. He had tried to prepare himself, yet hearing the truth spoken aloud still shattered him.
Jared rested a steadying hand on Flaxseed’s trembling shoulder, urging to breathe. Then turned to the elder and asked, “Do the ancient records mention any distinctive marks or techniques used by those men in black?”
The old man shook his head. “The entry is sparse. It only says the assassins were brutally efficient, monstrously strong, and vanished without a trace. Every major faction in the Fourth Heaven investigated, and every trail went cold.”
Jared’s brow furrowed as slipped into silent thought.
An unknown force… Faceless killers… An entire bloodline erased… What secret could be buried so deep that no one dares name it?
“It appears your story holds water,” Lunaria said softly, glancing from Flaxseed’s pain-ravaged face to Jared’s pensive one.
“The mountain must indeed have been your clan’s ancestral ground. As promised, we will offer restitution. If you wish to rebuild the Flaxseed clan, I can grant you a portion of land. Should you choose to unearth the truth behind the massacre, I will lend you resources and spies alike.”
Flaxseed lifted his head. Bloodshot eyes burned with feral resolve. “I want only one answer, who slaughtered my family. Until that debt is paid in blood, I will not rest!”
His voice was low but carried a chill that echoed through the cavernous hall.
Lunaria smiled. “All I ask in return is a favor.”
“What sort of favor?”
“Retrieve an item for me,” said, gaze turning dark and distant. “Deep within Nine Serpent Mountain lies an ancient ruin called the Abyss of Fallen Demons. A relic crucial to my people rests there, but the wards repel us. Bring it out, and I will restore your lands, and grant one further boon of your choosing.”
Flaxseed frowned at Jared.
Jared tapped the stone table with a single finger, eyes fixed on Lunaria’s pleasant smile.
“The Abyss of Fallen Demons,” murmured. “Hardly sounds welcoming…”
Lunaria laughed lightly. “Death to most, perhaps. Opportunity to those bold enough.”
She speaks like an open book, yet every line is a calculated move. If entry were easy, the demons would have claimed the relic long ago.
Jared let out a soft chuckle. “You do have a talent for choosing your pawns. What makes you so sure we’re capable of getting out alive?”
Setting cup aside, Lunaria’s eyes flashed. “I have witnessed your ingenuity, and the Nine Serpent Mountain remains the Flaxseed clan’s ancestral land. The ancestral sigil etched into his blood may bypass the restrictions.”
Flaxseed’s fists tightened once more. The thought of answers, of justice, burned hotter than any fear. Not even the Abyss of Fallen Demons or a sea of blades could deter now.
“Jared, I’m going,” said, voice hoarse but unwavering.
Jared gave Flaxseed a measured look. “Fine… Bring us the map and every record your clan keeps. If the danger becomes impossible, we leave immediately, non-negotiable.”
Lunaria nodded once. “Naturally…”
Lunaria promptly had a servant present a roll of map made out of beast skin and several journals. She said, “The map outlines only the abyss’s outer rim; the inner wards change without warning, so you will have to find your own way. The journals are scattered notes from our forebears, use them if you can.”
Jared unrolled the map. The mountain sprawled across it in dark red ink, and deep within lay a black-shrouded region labeled the “Abyss of Fallen Demons…”
