Of course, the King of Evermoor''s corpse was a treasure beyond measure in these parts.


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    With it, a master cksmith like Rothwind could create perhaps the best masterpiece he might ever be able to produce in his lifetime.


    So why would he ever give such a thing up?


    The mayor just now came to grips with this, and realised just how much of a blunder he had made by trying to intimidate him into epting his deal.


    Rothwind saw the flicker of realisation pass through the mayor''s eyes and shook his head, chuckling softly.


    "You finally get it now? I don''t need more materials, I don''t need more power. You''re trying to dangle a carrot in front of someone who''s already sitting at a feast."


    The mayor''s fists clenched at his sides, but he forced himself to calm down.


    Rothwind wasn''t just refusing his offer — he was outright dismissing him as if he was some small time merchant instead of the ruler of Tenebrus. But what made it worse, what truly gnawed at his pride, was the realisation that Rothwind was right.


    There was nothing that he could give that Rothwind didn''t already possess or couldn''t obtain on his own.


    Still, the mayor refused to back down.


    He couldn''t afford to.


    That corpse was just too alluring to give up on.


    With it, he could potentially increase his power even further, allowing him to not only spread his dominance further outwards, but to also get rid of any potential ''threats'' once and for all.


    He took a deep breath; narrowed his eyes as he chose his next words carefully.


    "Rothwind."


    He said slowly.


    "Think about what you''re doing. You say you want to be left alone, but keeping that corpse… it''ll draw attention. Not just from me, but from others far more powerful, more dangerous. You could be a target."


    Rothwind''s rxation faded as he realised what the mayor was saying.


    He wasn''t giving him advice, he was saying that if he couldn''t have it, then neither of them could!


    If Rothwind didn''t give him the corpse, then naturally he would spread the word of it being in Rothwind''s possession outside of the city limits, where other, stronger awakened might take a potential interest in it.


    But while Rothwind''s rxation might have faded, it wasn''t fear that reced it — it was a look of sheer dare.


    "I''m no stranger to being a target, Mayor. And I''ll tell you now, anyone whoes for me, or for what I care about, will pay the price. And let me tell you this; I''ll make sure you are at the top of that list. I don''t care what it takes."


    His words were a promise.


    The mayor wanted to y dirty, but he wasn''t the only one who could y that game.


    If Rothwind became a target for much stronger and more terrifying people, then he would make damn sure that they both went down.


    The mayor swallowed, forcing down a surge of frustration.


    There was no reasoning with this man!


    He was stubborn, resolute, andpletely impervious to the usual methods of ''persuasion''.


    "Very well."


    The mayor finally spoke.


    "But remember, Rothwind — everything has a consequence. You may not fear me, but even you have limits."


    Rothwind stood up, his tiny frame casting a towering shadow across the table.


    "You''re right, mayor. Everything does have a consequence. And if you try toe after me or anyone I care about, you''ll get to meet those consequences face to face."


    Without another word, Rothwind turned around and strode out of the room, directly sting through the thick walls like they were nothing.


    So much for being powerful enough to contain an awakened like Rothwind…


    The mayor stood there for a long moment, staring at the empty space Rothwind left behind.


    His expression twisted into a snarl, and he mmed his fist down onto the table, the force of it practically atomising it in that instant.


    "Damn you, Rothwind!"


    He hissed under his breath.


    "You think you can just walk away from this unscathed? Do you really think you''re untouchable?"


    He took a deep, shuddering breath, forcing himself to calm down.


    No, he wouldn''t let it end like this.


    Rothwind might have the upper hand now, but the mayor wasn''t someone who would give up so easily.


    If anything, he was even more stubborn than Rothwind himself.


    Slowly, his mind began to work, crafting a new n — a n that wouldn''t rely on bribes or threats.


    "Fine, Rothwind."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He muttered with a dark smile creeping across his lips.


    "If I can''t buy you or threaten you… I''ll just have to make your life miserable."


    His gaze turned towards the wall, where Rothwind had just zed through like it was nothing.


    "Let''s see how resolute you are when the people you care about start disappearing, one by one."


    The mayor''s smile widened as he began to plot his next move.


    He believed Rothwind had made a grave mistake by underestimating how far he was willing to go to get what he wanted.


    "And I think I''ll start with those two brats who''ve cosied their way up to you."


    And soon, Rothwind — and everyone else in Tenebrus — would see exactly how dangerous it was to go against him.


    But had Rothwind really underestimated him…?


    ***


    The streets outside Rothwind''s smithy were empty and quiet.


    The entire area around the forge still avoided that particr street like the gue had spread there.


    Alex stood there, alone now that Mira had taken off with the young girl in tow.


    He was no stranger to tough situations — living in the slums as a kid had taught him to be resourceful, and it didn''t even take him any effort to choose the slums of this city as his first starting point to start searching for any information.


    He knew that to the slum dwellers, anything could be bought for a price.


    With a sigh, he turned away from Rothwind''s smithy, looking over the bordering streets where the slums twisted away into abyrinth of dirt and shadows.


    The further he went from the smithy, the more decrepit the surroundings became.