## Liam''s Perspective


    Themunication crystal in my pocket vibrated with unusual urgency. I pulled it out, expecting another threat from some offended aristocrat. Instead, the panicked voice of the Man with the Mustache filled my ears.


    "Knight! Your friends are in danger!"


    I froze. "What friends? What are you talking about?"


    "Eamon and Sofia! That assassin Cobb has them in Eldoria! He''s using them as bait to lure you in!"


    My blood turned to ice. Eamon and Sofia were civilians—friends who had helped me when I was nothing.


    "How do you know this?" I demanded.


    "I stumbled across them by ident! Cobb is torturing them! He wants you toe so he can collect his bounty!"


    "Where in Eldoria?"


    "The old temple district! The abandoned shrine to the Mountain God! Hurry!"


    The crystal went dark. I didn''t hesitate. Within minutes, I was racing through the mountains, golden energy propelling me forward at impossible speeds.


    ---


    Jim Cobb twirled his prized teapot between his fingers. It wasn''t an ordinary vessel—it was a rare artifact that could extract and contain a person''s pain. The small ceramic pot glowed faintly red, filled with the agony he''d drawn from Eamon Greene''s broken leg.


    "Exquisite vintage," Cobb murmured, taking a sip from the teapot. He shuddered with pleasure as the pain flooded his system. "Your suffering has excellent notes of desperation."


    Eamon sat slumped against a pir, his face pale and sweaty. Blood soaked through his torn pant leg where bone had pierced skin. Beside him, Sofia Carrera struggled against her bindings, her dark eyes zing with fury.


    "When Liam finds out what you''ve done—" Sofia began.


    Cobbughed, cutting her off. "When Knight finds out? My dear, that''s precisely the point. I''m counting on it!"


    He stood, smoothing his immacte burgundy robes. At first nce, Cobb appeared harmless—a slender man with a meticulously groomed beard and friendly eyes. But those eyes held no warmth as he approached Sofia.


    "The famous Liam Knight," he mused, tracing a finger along her cheek. She jerked away. "Killed Josiah Hale and took his sect. Made enemies of both the ckthornes and the Holts. Quite impressive."


    He leaned in close to Sofia''s face. "But everyone has weaknesses. And you two are his."


    "We''re nothing special to him," Eamon managed through gritted teeth.


    Cobbughed again. "Please. My sources are excellent. You helped him when he was down and out. Liam Knight is loyal to a fault—he''lle running."


    "And you''ll be waiting," Sofia spat.


    "Precisely." Cobb''s smile widened. "The ckthornes are paying me triple my usual rate for this job. Knight''s head will make me the most celebrated assassin in the territory."


    A noise at the temple entrance made Cobb turn. The Man with the Mustache stood frozen in the doorway, his eyes wide with shock.


    "Oh! Wrong temple! So sorry to interrupt!" The mustached man began backing away.


    Cobb moved with blinding speed, appearing behind him. "And who might you be?"


    "Nobody! Just a tourist! Exploring ancient sites! History buff, you know!" His mustache twitched nervously.


    Cobb''s eyes narrowed. "You''re not leaving until I say so. Sit."


    An invisible force mmed the Man with the Mustache to the ground. He yelped, scrambling backward.


    "Now, where was I?" Cobb returned to his captives. "Ah yes, waiting for Knight."


    "Go to hell," Eamon growled.


    Cobb''s pleasant demeanor vanished. He grabbed Eamon''s broken leg and squeezed. Eamon''s scream echoed through the abandoned temple.


    "Enough!" The Man with the Mustache shouted, surprising even himself.


    Cobb turned, raising an eyebrow. "The tourist has opinions?"


    "I mean... it''s just... bad form, isn''t it? Torturing injured people?"


    Cobb sighed dramatically. "You''re right. I should just kill him now."


    He raised his hand, dark energy gathering in his palm. The Man with the Mustache panicked and reached into his coat, pulling out a small jade figurine.


    "Catch!" He tossed it at Cobb.


    The assassin caught it reflexively. The figurine exploded in a blinding sh. Cobb stumbled backward, momentarily blinded.


    "You dare?" he snarled.


    The Man with the Mustache was already pulling more objects from his endless pockets. A bronze whistle that released ear-splitting sound waves. A paper talisman that erupted into a cloud of ck smoke. A marble that expanded into a temporary barrier.


    Cobb shattered each defense with frightening ease, advancing on the mustached man.


    "Impressive collection," Cobb remarked, deflecting a st from a miniature crossbow. "But party tricks won''t save you."


    "Worth a shot," the mustached man replied, backing away until he hit a wall.


    Cobb''s hand shot out, gripping the man''s throat. "You''ve amused me enough. Now you die."


    Energy gathered around Cobb''s free hand, forming a de of pure power. He pulled back to strike—


    The de never fell. A golden light intercepted it, dissipating Cobb''s attack into harmless sparks.


    "Let him go," came a cold voice from the temple entrance.


    Everyone turned. I stood in the doorway, golden energy flowing around me like liquid fire. My eyes took in everything—Eamon''s broken leg, Sofia''s bruised face, the mysterious man gasping for breath in Cobb''s grip.


    Cobb released the Man with the Mustache, who copsed in a heap. A smile spread across the assassin''s face.


    "Liam Knight," he purred. "Right on schedule."


    I didn''t respond immediately. My gaze locked on my injured friends. The rage building inside me was different from anything I''d felt before—cold, calcted, deadly.


    "You know why I''m here," Cobb continued, spreading his arms. "The ckthornes send their regards."


    "Of course," I finally spoke, my voice eerily calm. "Dashiell couldn''t face me himself."


    Cobb chuckled. "Why dirty his hands when he can afford the best? I''ve killed seventeen Marquis-level cultivators. You''ll be eighteen." If<i ss="node-sep"></i>you''re<i ss="node-sep"></i>not<i ss="node-sep"></i>on<i ss="node-sep"></i>*,<i ss="node-sep"></i>you''re<i ss="node-sep"></i>viewing<i ss="node-sep"></i>a<i ss="node-sep"></i>copy.</abbr>


    I took a step forward. "You hurt my friends."


    "I did," Cobb agreed cheerfully. "Quite thoroughly. Your outrage is delicious."


    Another step. "You tortured them for pleasure."


    "The teapot requires genuine suffering," Cobb exined, holding up the artifact. "Would you like to try it? Your friend''s pain is particrly vibrant."


    My eyes narrowed. "They''re innocent."


    "No one connected to you is innocent," Cobb replied, his expression hardening. "Now, shall we dance? Or would you prefer I finish what I started with your friends first?"


    I moved so fast even Cobb looked surprised. One moment I stood at the entrance, the next I was beside Eamon and Sofia, golden energy flowing from my hands into Eamon''s leg.


    "How—" Cobb began.


    "I''ll be fine," Eamon whispered to me, his face tight with pain. "End this bastard."


    I nodded and stood, turning to face Cobb. The assassin had recovered from his surprise and now watched me with calcting eyes.


    "Impressive speed," he noted. "Josiah''s core is serving you well."


    "You talk too much," I replied.


    Cobbughed. "Professional courtesy. It''s not every day I kill someone of your growing reputation."


    "You misunderstand," I said, golden energy swirling around me. "I wasn''tining about your conversation."


    My eyes fixed on him with deadly intent. "I was simply noting that you won''t need words anymore after today."


    Cobb''s smile faltered slightly. "Bold talk from someone who''s been a Marquis for what, a week? I''ve held this rank for decades."


    I didn''t bother responding. Instead, I looked pointedly at my injured friends, then back to Cobb. When I spoke, my voice was ice.


    "Your golden core is mine now."


    Cobb''s eyes widened momentarily before narrowing in rage. "You dare threaten me with that forbidden technique? I''ll scatter your ashes across this temple!"


    He lunged forward, power erupting from his body in violent waves. The battle for my friends'' lives had begun, and I had no intention of showing mercy.