Erok dropped his head. "I failed."
Elwim didn’t act surprised, he showed no emotions. "Failed? Are they too powerful?"
"Yes, team leader."
"Tell me about their powers."
Erok frowned. He couldn’t be sure of the powers he saw while he was under the illusion, but it was the only thing he had to offer. "The leader, Vale, can use some type of fire element, and the big one can use illusions. The girl can conjure weapons."
Elwim nodded. "What about the last one?"
Erok’s face lit up at that. "You should know him—Xan! The small guy with some kind of curse. Last I heard, the outlaws were looking for him."
Elwim was silent for a while. "I didn’t know he was back in the Borderland. I’ll have to report this. Come closer, make your report as well."
Erok breathed a sigh of relief. He moved closer, ready to draw a chair and sit when suddenly Elwim asked, "You didn’t stop anywhere when coming here, right?"
Erok nodded with a frown. He didn’t understand why he was being asked, but he answered, "No. I came here immediately."
Elwim nodded slightly, his eyes narrowed. "Then why don’t you have any marks of battle? Where’s your artifact sword?"
Erok opened his mouth to answer, but he could only remain confused. He didn’t remember dropping his sword or not taking it along. He immediately tensed as he met his team leader’s eyes.
Elwim shook his head. "Better to let Fell know about this as soon as possible."
The last thing Erok heard was "Fell." The sound reverberated in his head like a bell. Darkness clouded his mind and eyes. He saw the image of the big man, Tiber, staring down at him—only now, Tiber was the size of a mountain, and his eyes swallowed him whole. Erok knew no more after that.
Erok’s eyes were now two pools of darkness, and tears of shadow ran down his cheeks. He lifted his hand, dark energy gathering together, and without hesitation, he threw it at Elwim.
But his team leader was faster. He dodged beneath the energy, moving as if he wasn’t made with bones. His fingernails lengthened and were immediately covered in raw red energy that pulsed like a heartbeat.
He flicked his hand at Erok, and five arcs of red energy blasted out, searing the air as they cut into Erok, slicing him into five parts horizontally, starting from just below the eyes.
Blood, brain matter, and different organs splattered as the parts were thrown against the wall.
Elwim, now standing before his table, stared at the cut bodies for a long time. He remembered how Erok had changed, and he resisted a shudder. "They are this strong?"
He sighed. "I should make that report as fast as I can."
☆☆▪︎▪︎☆☆
Vale stared at Tiber again, as if he hadn’t heard what he said the first time. "What was that again?"
"I planted something in his mind. Once he’s out of here, he’ll immediately attack and try to kill anyone who says ’Fell,’ but I doubt he’ll succeed."
"But either way, a message will be sent," Vale thought. He liked this method, but seriously, he hadn’t known Tiber could control the mind like that. That’s rather powerful. Should I be wary of him?
It was as if Slya knew what he was thinking, as she said, "I didn’t know you could do something that scary, Tiber!"
The man shrugged. "Only when the enemy has a weak mind. The longer I stay in a dream, the more power I can exert in it. I believe it’ll be even stronger in higher ranks."
Vale yawned again. "I’m going back to sleep. Wake me if there’s any trouble or when it’s my time to watch. Xan can keep that assassin’s weapon for now."
Then he headed up the stairs, thinking about what had just happened. What’s the deal with the Scuffed Bones anyway? It’s not like I did something unusual. Don’t they also step on some people to get where they are today? Anyway, I can’t wait to know what the Ten will do.
He went to sleep after that, and they did not wake him for his turn to stand watch.
The next morning was normal. Vale woke early and went down to the large training room to begin his morning training both in sword fighting and magical attacks. When he was done three hours later, part of the training hall was melted. He then went up the stairs to take his bath before joining the others for breakfast.
Tiber and Slya looked as if they still needed extra sleep; they’d been up almost all night.
"Honestly, I did not expect you to take care of the assassin that fast, Tiber," Xan said as he piled butter into his monster-stuffed bread. "And you were so efficient about it."
Tiber grunted.
Xan took that as an answer and was only too ready to continue. "I should stay indoors today. I assume that assassin must have given some information about us. I’ll be targeted as well.
"Here, Slya, try this drink. It has a refreshing taste to it. It’ll make you....!!!"
Suddenly, Vale and the others paused eating, looking up at the wall as if they could see through it. He felt an essence pressure spill out into the building.
Vale smiled, his eyes alight. "Here it comes."
The front door slammed open, and two people walked inside. They filled the room with their pressure, like passing storms, but to Vale, it was something easily shrugged away.
One of them was a man bigger than Tiber, with limbs as thick as small trees, but he moved with surprisingly good grace. He carried no weapons, and his flat eyes looked at them with a bright feverish intensity, as if he were some kind of beast.
He looks like a beast in human form. That’s a dangerous man for sure, Vale thought.
Beside the huge man was a woman of average height. She wore the red of the Steelclaw, and her steady eyes sized him up.
Xan and the others tensed while Vale casually stuffed more meat in his mouth. After all, he would need his strength for later.
"Welcome, visitors! Welcome to my place!"