Tara listened to the sage's words in silence for a long time. The light of the fire flickered across the stone walls, and the shadows in the room moved slowly. When the sage finished speaking, a heavy silence filled the room. Tara's gaze was fixed on the ground. For a while, he said nothing.
Finally, he raised his head.
"Tell me," he said in a calm but hard voice. "Where is Edrar?"
The sage looked into his eyes. There was a cold determination in Tara's gaze.
"The Iron God rarely appears," the sage said. "But there is a great slave market in the land of Alion. Humans are brought there first. From there they are sent to the iron mines. Edrar sometimes comes there… to see the new slaves."
After these words, the room fell silent again.
Tara slowly stood up. He said nothing. But he was clenching his fists so tightly that his fingers had turned white. The anger inside him was silent, but heavy.
He walked toward the door.
The assassins behind him watched him.
Without stopping, Tara spoke.
"Prepare."
The assassins silently stood up.
"We are going to the slave market."
No one asked any questions.
Because everyone understood there was no turning back in Tara's voice.
A journey that lasted for days began. They passed through mountain paths. They moved through forests. Rain fell, the wind howled, but the group did not stop. Tara barely spoke during the entire journey. His eyes were always fixed forward.
At last, they reached the largest slave market in Alion.
A massive stone fortress rose from the darkness. High walls, heavy gates, and guards patrolling the towers surrounded it. Inside, hundreds of humans were held in chains.
Tara watched the fortress for a long time.
Then he spoke in a low voice.
"We wait for night."
When the moon rose into the sky, they moved.
The assassins moved like shadows. They climbed the walls silently. A guard seemed about to notice something, but a hand covered his mouth from behind. A second later he lay motionless on the ground.
The group infiltrated the fortress.
When they reached the courtyard, a sound echoed.
The sound of chains.
Tara walked toward it.
What he saw made him stop.
Inside large iron cages were people. Women, children, and the elderly… some were crouched on the ground crying. Others simply stared at the walls with empty eyes.
A child was holding the bars of a cage and looking outside.
Tara's face hardened.
He turned to the assassins behind him.
"Open the cages."
The assassins immediately moved. They broke the locks. They cut the chains. The iron doors began to open one by one.
At first, the slaves could not understand what was happening.
A man looked at Tara with trembling eyes.
"Is this… a trap?"
Tara shook his head slightly.
"No."
The man's eyes filled with tears.
But at that exact moment, an alarm rang through the fortress.
A bell shattered the silence of the night.
Then the sound of heavy armor was heard.
The Iron Knights were coming.
Huge warriors covered in thick iron armor entered the courtyard. In their hands were long swords and axes.
One of the knights shouted:
"Runaway slaves! Kill them all!"
Tara slowly drew his sword from its sheath. The sound of steel cut through the night.
He lightly turned the blade in his hand.
Then he began walking toward the knights.
"No one touches the slaves unless they pass me."
One knight laughed.
"You think you can stop us?"
The next second, Tara moved.
He dashed forward at a speed almost impossible to see.
His sword fell on the first knight's neck.
Steel collided.
The armor split.
The knight collapsed to the ground.
The others attacked.
But Tara had already entered their ranks.
His sword moved constantly. He cut one man's knees. He shattered another's helmet. He severed another's arm.
The assassins joined the battle as well.
They emerged from the darkness, striking quickly and bringing down the knights.
Meanwhile, the slaves did not remain idle.
A man picked up a stone from the ground and threw it at a knight's head. A woman attacked with a broken piece of wood.
Soon the fortress was in complete chaos.
The Iron Knights were greater in number, but the slaves' rage was stronger.
Tara cut down another knight.
Then he turned to the slaves.
"Run toward the forest!"
A man shouted:
"What about you?"
Tara answered,
"I will come."
"Get away before Edrar finds you!"
The slaves began to run.
At that moment, the great gates of the fortress shook.
With a single blow, the enormous gate shattered.
Someone stepped inside with heavy footsteps.
Everyone froze.
It was a giant warrior nearly three meters tall. He wore a terrifying armor made of black iron. A crimson light leaked from within the armor.
The Iron God Edrar had arrived.
Edrar looked around.
Then he spoke slowly.
"Weak pieces of flesh…"
"Where are my slaves going?"
Tara looked at the assassins.
"Hurry."
"Evacuate all the slaves."
The assassins quickly began guiding the people outside.
Edrar looked at Tara.
"So it's you."
"The human I have heard rumors about lately."
Tara raised his sword.
"Edrar!"
His voice echoed with fury.
"You killed my father."
"You burned my village."
"Now it is your turn to die."
Edrar lowered his head slightly.
"The child of the old royal warrior…"
Then he laughed.
"Yes… I have heard of you."
"A user of essence."
Edrar walked toward him with heavy steps.
"But you are still inexperienced."
Tara did not respond.
He attacked instantly.
His sword struck Edrar's chest.
Steel clashed.
But the blade could not pierce the armor.
Edrar threw a single punch.
Tara was thrown several meters back.
But he stood up immediately.
He attacked again.
His sword strikes fell one after another.
But Edrar barely moved.
Then Edrar lifted his leg and delivered a powerful kick.
Tara rolled across the ground.
He tried to stand.
This time Edrar struck him with a punch.
Tara was thrown again.
His breathing had grown heavy.
But he still stood up.
Edrar looked at him.
"You are stubborn."
Tara attacked again.
But this time Edrar caught him in midair.
With his armored hand, he grabbed Tara by the throat and lifted him up.
Tara struggled, but his strength was not enough.
Edrar threw him to the ground.
Then he walked toward him with heavy steps.
Tara lay on the ground, covered in blood.
Edrar bent down.
"I could kill you now."
Tara looked at him.
But there was no fear in his eyes.
Edrar thought for a few seconds.
Then he stood up.
"No."
He turned his back.
"If you survive…"
"I suggest you become stronger."
"Because if we meet again one day…"
"Next time, I will kill you."
Edrar walked away with heavy steps.
The fortress fell silent.
Tara's eyes slowly began to close.
The last thing he saw was the moonlight.
Then everything went dark.
And his consciousness faded away.