In the Aura-Gul Warehouses
The fog had completely vanished. The battlefield lay exposed beneath the evening sky, revealing the full scale of the destruction.
A small group stood before the door of the main warehouse. Rashid, the Lord of Sand, the Lord of Gravity, and the two wounded Lords of Subjugation. All of them were staring at the closed door.
The door opened.
A short man stepped out, his body swollen with fat that swayed with every step. He wore expensive silk clothes, but they were torn and dirty. His face was pale, and his hands trembled.
Fashar.
The nobleman for whom the entire mission had been undertaken.
"Is… is it over?" he asked in a trembling voice. "Did you kill him?"
Rashid looked at him for a long moment, then answered calmly:
"He withdrew. But he didn't die."
"What?!" Fashar trembled and nearly collapsed before the Lord of Gravity caught him. "Then he'll return! He'll return to kill me!"
"Calm down," the Lord of Sand cut in sharply. "He won't return. Not now, at least. His wounds were severe, and the poison is still in his blood. If he comes back, it won't be for days."
Fashar looked around at the injuries and exhaustion on the faces of the Qaz Lords, then whispered:
"And where are the rest? Weren't there supposed to be ten of you?"
Silence.
A long, heavy silence broken only by the whisper of the cold wind.
---
Hours later – At the Guard Headquarters
The building was large and old, filled with the scent of ink and tanned leather. In the main meeting hall, a single man stood before a long table, looking at the gathered men one by one.
He was a man in his fifties. His hair was short and gray, and his blue eyes were sharp and piercing. He did not wear luxurious clothes, only the uniform of a guard, yet his presence filled the room. On his chest was a small golden badge bearing his name:
Fargas – Captain of the Adventurers' City Guards
"Where are the rest?" he asked in a calm, deep voice that carried unmistakable authority.
Rashid looked around. In the room were: the Lord of Sand standing beside the window, the Lord of Gravity sitting on a wooden chair, and the two wounded Lords of Subjugation leaning against the wall. The Lord of Shadow had not come. The Lord of Transparency had not come. And the Lady of the Whip and the Lord of Strength—their bodies were outside.
"The Lord of Strength died in the battle," Rashid said quietly. "The Lady of the Whip was also killed. The Lord of Transparency… we don't know his fate. He disappeared. And the Lord of Shadow withdrew—we haven't seen him for hours."
Fargas looked at Rashid with those piercing blue eyes. He showed no reaction. He simply asked:
"And the Lord of Mist?"
—
At that moment, the door opened.
A man entered. A faint fog surrounded him, but it faded the moment he stepped inside. His face—which had once been covered—was now partly visible, revealing a silver beard, a mustache of the same color, and cold silver eyes.
The Lord of Mist.
"My apologies for the delay," he said in a calm voice devoid of emotion. "I had a personal matter after the battle."
Fargas looked at him for a long time. Then he gestured toward an empty chair.
"Sit. We were waiting for you."
—
Everyone sat. Fargas remained standing at the head of the table, looking at them one by one.
"I want the report. What exactly happened at the Aura-Gul warehouses?"
The Lord of Sand began speaking. He described the beginning of the battle, Karsu's sudden attack, his killing of the Lord of Strength, and how the events unfolded. The Lord of Gravity added details about his intervention and the falling meteor. The Lords of Subjugation spoke about the deaths of their beasts.
Then it was Rashid's turn.
He stood and looked at Fargas with serious eyes.
"The mission succeeded partially. The nobleman Fashar survived, and that was the primary objective. But the cost was heavy. Two Qaz Lords were killed. The injuries of the remaining members are severe. And the enemy escaped."
He paused for a moment, then added in a lower voice:
"I feel that I fell short. I should have been more prepared, more organized. I apologize."
—
Fargas did not respond immediately. He was thinking.
Then—
The door opened again.
A man entered carrying a rolled document. He handed it to Fargas and whispered a few words in his ear. Fargas nodded, then looked at the room.
"A preliminary report of material damages. The warehouses were heavily damaged, but the main goods remain intact. The initial compensation is estimated at around six gold coins."
He looked at them.
"Four of those will be additional rewards for the participating Qaz Lords."
—
At that moment, the Lord of Mist moved.
He slowly stood and looked at Fargas, then at the others.
"If I may, sir."
Fargas nodded for him to continue.
"The mission did not merely succeed partially," the Lord of Mist said in a calm, confident voice. "The mission succeeded completely."
Rashid looked at him in surprise.
"The noble survived. That was the only objective. Everything else—details. The deaths of Qaz Lords are unfortunate, but they are part of the risks of such missions. The material damage—only six gold coins. Far less than we expected."
He paused, then added:
"I believe the mission succeeded. And all of you—including those who died—fulfilled your duty perfectly."
—
Silence.
The Lord of Sand looked at the Lord of Gravity. The Lord of Gravity looked at the Lords of Subjugation. Everyone looked at Rashid.
Rashid remained silent. The apology he had offered earlier now seemed… smaller. Less meaningful.
Fargas spoke in his calm voice:
"The Lord of Mist's words are reasonable. The objective was achieved. The damages are within acceptable limits. The mission—succeeded."
He looked at Rashid.
"There is no need to apologize. You did what you could—and more."
—
Then Fargas took out a small pouch of energy stones—clearly rare—and placed it on the table.
"These are your rewards. As for the four gold coins—they will be distributed according to contribution. The five of you remaining will receive equal shares."
He looked at Rashid.
"And Rashid… since you were the leader of the group, take an additional share for yourself."
—
But Rashid shook his head.
"No."
Everyone looked at him.
"I don't want my share. Give it to the wife of the Lord of Strength and his child. He died in battle, and his family will suffer without him."
Silence.
Then he looked back at Fargas.
"And the Lady of the Whip… she wasn't from this city, as far as I know. But her body is here. I will take responsibility for burying her. Whatever she was—she fought beside us until the end."
—
Fargas looked at Rashid for a long moment. Then he slowly nodded.
"Very well. I'll send someone to take the two bodies where they must go."
—
At that moment, the Lord of Mist looked at Rashid.
A long, cold, unreadable gaze.
Then he spoke in a very quiet voice, heard only by those nearby:
"You are a good man, Rashid. Good men… do not live long in this profession."
He stood.
"I'll leave. I have matters to attend to."
—
He departed.
And Rashid remained standing there, staring at the closed door, those words echoing in his mind.
At that moment, the Lord of Shadow entered the room—just as the Lord of Mist was leaving…