Thorns of Blood

Chapter 4: Secret Revealed

Karu's movements were quick, precise, and filled with power. Electricity crackled around his leg as he launched into the air, aiming a flashy left kick toward Garnida. The room seemed to hold its breath, the air trembling with the raw energy of his strike. But Garnida's response was faster—effortless.

The chain in her hand moved like a living creature, coiling and snapping through the air. Before Karu's attack could land, the spiked chains wrapped around his legs, the sharp edges biting into his flesh. With a brutal yank, Garnida pulled him from the air and slammed him to the ground. The impact echoed through the tavern, the wooden floor cracking beneath his weight.

Karu gritted his teeth, but a scream tore from his throat as the chains slithered up his waist, tearing through his clothes and searing his skin. The spikes glowed faintly red, radiating heat that scorched him with every movement. His body convulsed, electricity sparking erratically around him as he fought against the bindings.

Garnida stood over him, her dark eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and disdain. "Like I said," she began, her voice calm but dripping with superiority, "I always lead because all that can is beneath me."

Yeon watched in horror, his crimson eyes wide as he saw Karu writhing on the ground, helpless against Garnida's power. The air around him felt heavy, stifling, as if her presence alone was draining the room of all hope. His fists clenched, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Stop it!" Yeon's voice broke through the tension, raw and trembling.

Garnida tilted her head, her smirk returning as she turned her gaze to him. "Oh, you can talk too?" she said, her tone mockingly surprised. "I thought you'd forgotten how."

Yeon stepped forward, blood still dripping from the corner of his mouth. He wiped it away with the back of his hand, his eyes blazing with a mixture of fear and defiance. "You're going to let him go," he said, his voice steady despite the chaos around him. "Because I said so."

The room went still, the weight of his words hanging in the air. Garnida's smirk faltered, and she narrowed her eyes.

"You always say you want me to be king," Yeon continued, his voice growing stronger, "but you never, ever listen to me. You call me weak, but maybe you're the one who's afraid. Afraid of what I might do if I choose my own path. Well, hear me now. I am never going to be on your side. Now listen—and go."

Garnida's gaze bore into him, her dark eyes unreadable. For a long moment, the room seemed frozen in time, the only sound the faint hum of her spinning chains. Then, with a flick of her wrist, the chains unwrapped from Karu's body, clattering to the floor as the spikes retracted.

"Very well," she said, her voice colder than ever. She took a step back, her frustration evident in the tension of her movements. "You can leave Atarria, Yeon, but remember this: Atarria will always find you."

Her crimson robe billowed as she turned, stepping into the shadows at the edge of the room. Her presence faded like smoke, leaving only the faint scent of heat and iron behind.

Yeon exhaled, his entire body trembling. His gaze shifted to Karu, who lay sprawled on the floor, his chest heaving as he fought to catch his breath. Burns and cuts marked his skin, his black tank top shredded where the chains had torn through it. Despite his pain, Karu's sharp eyes locked onto Yeon's, filled with both confusion and disbelief.

"Why did you save me?" Karu rasped, his voice barely audible.

Yeon knelt beside him, his expression resolute. "Because I want peace," he said quietly. He glanced toward the door where Garnida had disappeared. "And the end of Atarria."