The Fool’s Ascension

Jarek had barely taken ten steps onto solid ground before Tobias collapsed onto a boulder, breathing heavily.

"Never. Again," Tobias wheezed, clutching his stomach. "I swear, Jarek, if we ever use a rusted minecart as an escape vehicle again, I'm throwing myself into the nearest abyss."

Jarek grinned, stretching his arms. "Come on, Tobias. That was exhilarating!"

Tobias shot him a glare. "That was suicidal."

Sylva, standing a few feet ahead, didn't comment. She simply gazed at the distant road ahead, her posture tense.

Jarek followed her gaze. The old trade road wound through the valley, leading toward the faint glimmer of lights in the distance. Civilization.

Jarek exhaled, feeling the weight of the night finally settle on him.

They had escaped Caden's assassins. For now.

But Jarek knew better than to celebrate too soon.

Sylva's voice cut through the silence. "We need to keep moving."

Tobias groaned. "Can we not? I'd like to die peacefully on this rock."

Sylva's expression didn't change. "They'll regroup."

Jarek nodded. "She's right. Caden isn't the type to give up." He turned to Tobias. "Come on, buddy. You can die later."

Tobias muttered a string of curses but pulled himself up.

Jarek turned toward the road. "Alright. Where to?"

A New Destination

They followed the winding path through the valley. The terrain was rough, scattered with jagged rocks and overgrown brush, but it was far better than being stabbed in a cave.

Jarek eyed Sylva as they walked.

"You seem awfully calm for someone who just abandoned her whole organization," he said.

Sylva didn't look at him. "I made my choice."

Jarek raised an eyebrow. "Just like that?"

Sylva finally glanced at him. "You interest me, Thorn."

Jarek blinked. "That's… vague and mildly threatening."

Sylva smirked. "You survived using the Heart of Ruin without losing yourself. That's rare."

Jarek shifted uncomfortably. He didn't want to think about the Heart of Ruin right now.

The pulse in his chest felt more noticeable than ever.

Sylva's eyes flickered toward his hand. "You feel it, don't you?"

Jarek clenched his fist. "I feel a lot of things. Mostly exhaustion."

Sylva didn't push.

Tobias sighed. "So what's the plan? We can't just wander around waiting for Caden to find us again."

Sylva nodded. "There's a town not far from here. Rookhaven. We can regroup there."

Jarek frowned. "Rookhaven? That's under the Duke's control, isn't it?"

Sylva nodded. "Which means Caden won't make a move openly."

Jarek exhaled. "Fine. Rookhaven it is."

Tobias groaned. "I hope they have decent ale."

Arrival at Rookhaven

By the time they reached Rookhaven, the sun was beginning to rise.

The town was larger than Jarek expected, a bustling trade hub with tall stone walls and well-guarded gates. Caravans rolled in and out, merchants set up stalls, and watchful guards patrolled the entrance.

Jarek adjusted his cloak. "Let's try not to attract too much attention."

Tobias snorted. "Right, because a half-dead noble, a runaway assassin, and a man with a cursed artifact are the picture of subtlety."

Jarek grinned. "Exactly."

They approached the gates. A grizzled guard stepped forward, eyeing them carefully.

"State your business."

Sylva stepped up. "We're travelers, looking for rest and supplies."

The guard squinted at her. "You look like trouble."

Jarek sighed. "We get that a lot."

The guard hesitated, then waved them through. "Don't cause any."

Jarek saluted. "Wouldn't dream of it."

As they entered, Tobias exhaled. "Well, that was easy."

Jarek smirked. "Tobias. Never say that."

Because the moment the words left Tobias's mouth, a loud commotion erupted from the marketplace ahead.

Jarek sighed. "I hate being right."

The Trouble with Markets

The marketplace was chaos.

People shouted, guards rushed toward a scuffle, and a burly man was being dragged out of a merchant's stall by two heavily armed enforcers.

Jarek caught sight of the merchant—a young woman with sharp eyes and an irritated expression.

"Put me down, you bastards!" the burly man roared, struggling against the guards. "I didn't steal a damn thing!"

The merchant folded her arms. "Liar."

Jarek frowned. Something about this scene seemed off.

Sylva noticed too. "Stay back," she murmured.

Jarek, naturally, did not listen.

He stepped forward. "What's going on here?"

The merchant turned to him, eyes narrowing. "Who are you?"

Jarek smiled. "Just a concerned citizen."

The merchant scoffed. "None of your business."

The burly man looked at Jarek desperately. "I swear, I didn't steal anything! This woman's trying to rob me!"

The merchant glared. "Lies."

Jarek tilted his head. "Alright. Let's settle this. What's he accused of stealing?"

The merchant hesitated. "A… valuable ring."

Jarek's instincts flared.

"Do you have proof?"

The merchant's expression twitched.

Jarek smirked. "Yeah. Thought so."

The guards frowned. "Wait. You don't have proof?"

The merchant scoffed. "I saw him take it!"

Jarek's grin widened. "And yet, somehow, the ring isn't in his pockets, is it?"

The guards looked at each other.

Jarek turned to Tobias. "Hey, Tobias. What's the number one rule of street cons?"

Tobias grinned. "If someone accuses you without proof, they're probably the thief."

Jarek nodded. "Exactly."

The merchant's face paled.

One of the guards sighed. "Alright, lady. Let's have a word."

The merchant spluttered. "Wait—"

The guards didn't listen.

As they dragged her away, the burly man exhaled. "Thank you, stranger."

Jarek grinned. "No problem."

Tobias chuckled. "You just can't help yourself, can you?"

Jarek shrugged. "What can I say? I like making trouble."

Sylva sighed. "And trouble likes you."

Jarek grinned. "Exactly."

But deep down, he knew—

This town had more trouble than just a marketplace scam.

And he had a feeling they were about to find it.