Shadow Sword of Vengeance

"First, tell me where the main base is of your organization," Lucien inquired, his voice calm yet commanding, his piercing gaze locked onto them like a hunter observing its prey. 

"We don't know about the base's location. We are not part of the organization. We are just Majestir's students, whom he took from the streets," one of them replied, his voice laced with both apology and fear. The way he trembled slightly under Lucien's gaze only confirmed his terror. 

Lucien's sharp eyes studied them carefully. "Don't you have any idea where they are? Where do you live, and why don't you know your master's brother's location?..." His suspicions grew stronger with every second, his instincts warning him of possible deception. 

"Because we aren't part of the organization," they replied hastily. "They do not give us any information on whether the base even exists or not. We have never seen the Sins or their disciples." 

Lucien narrowed his eyes. "You haven't seen your master's brother??" 

Although doubts lingered in his mind, deep down, he knew they were telling the truth. 

"This organization has been working in secrecy for ages. It would be foolish for them to go around revealing their location to just anyone," Lucien thought. 

"No, Sir Majestic is unknown to us. Whenever Master was called, he went to him without informing us about anything. We aren't even aware of the organization's name," they admitted, their voices lower than before, weighed down by fear. 

Lucien stepped forward slightly. "Why should I believe you?" His voice was colder now, carrying a silent warning. 

"We swear we have no information except our base, so please... spare us." 

Lucien leaned in closer, his chilling gaze locking onto them. His stare was colder than the snow outside, and the weight of it made them sweat despite the freezing air. 

"If you aren't useful to me... I won't spare you." His voice dropped to a near whisper, yet it carried the sharpness of a blade. 

One of them, the one closest to Majestir and most loyal to him, subtly moved his hand toward his dagger, his fingers trembling slightly as he grasped the hilt. 

"We can search for his brother for you and deliver any message you wish to send, sir," they pleaded, their voices unsteady. 

But before Lucien could respond, the student on the leftmost side suddenly lunged forward, dagger in hand, aiming straight for Lucien's chest. 

Lucien didn't flinch. In a blink, his hand moved to his ankle, drawing a small dagger and hurling it with deadly precision. The blade found its mark—straight into the attacker's forehead. The student froze, eyes wide, before crumpling lifelessly to the ground. 

A horrifying silence followed. The remaining four students stared in shock, their bodies paralyzed with fear. 

"Pick up both of these bodies," Lucien ordered coldly. "And hang Majestir's head in your city's square." 

Their breath hitched. His words struck them like a death sentence. They didn't dare oppose him, but to follow his command meant certain death at the hands of Majestic. Their bodies remained frozen, their eyes locked onto the ground as if hoping to disappear. 

Lucien's voice cut through the silence. "If you do not complete your task... I will come after you." 

A shiver ran down their spines. The air around them seemed heavier, suffocating. There was no choice. Their heads lowered as they silently nodded. 

"Good. Pick it up and be on your way." 

Their legs felt weak, their throats dry. They forced themselves to move, dragging their feet toward Majestir's body. One of them reached down, gripping his severed head by the hair, avoiding its lifeless gaze as he turned toward his horse. 

Soon, they were on their way back. The journey was silent, but the weight of their task pressed down on them like an unshakable burden. 

"What should we do? We can't just neglect what he said, but if we do it, Majestic will kill us." One of them broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper. 

"I shouldn't have agreed to be trained by him... at least I would have lived," another muttered, his voice filled with regret. 

"No point thinking about the past now. What we do next is the real problem." 

"Let's just throw his body somewhere and run off." 

"Are you trying to get us killed by both of them? If Majestic doesn't find his brother, he'll come after all of us. And if we don't obey Lucien, he will surely kill us." 

"Let's do what Lucien said and then disappear for a while. Majestic will go after him for revenge. If they fight, maybe we'll be forgotten in the chaos." 

They hesitated but ultimately nodded. Fear still gripped them, but survival was all that mattered now. 

By the time night fell, exhaustion weighed on them. Up ahead, an inn came into view—the same one they had stayed at before with Majestir. 

They entered, locking eyes with the innkeeper. His face turned pale with distress the moment he saw them, sensing that something was horribly wrong. 

But none of them had the energy to explain. They requested a room and collapsed for the night, though none of them found peaceful sleep. 

By the next morning, they set out once more, making their way back to their city. The hours dragged on like a slow, dreadful march toward their unavoidable fate. 

As they finally entered the town, they headed straight for the center. The streets buzzed with people, oblivious to the grim scene that was about to unfold. 

With heavy hands, they hoisted Majestir's body and secured it to a pole. Murmurs and horrified gasps filled the air as townspeople gathered, their expressions a mix of confusion and fear. Yet none dared to step closer. 

With their task done, they wasted no time. Climbing onto their horses, they urged them into a frantic gallop, escaping the town before Majestir could return. 

Their hands shook. Their hearts raced. 

They understood it was only a matter of time before the storm would arrive. 

This reached soon reached Majestic who was sitting at the same location and glancing below. 

"Sir Majestic!!!...Sir Majestic!!" Said a man while catching his breath 

"What is it and why are you panting??!!" Majestic inquired 

"uhh...They found Majestir's body tied to the pole in town and his disciples are nowhere to be found" the man explained in a state of fear. 

Majestic's eyes widened, his mind in complete shock and disbelief.