Chapter 92: Aftermath (2)
The Velkhur guards saw Garran dead, the Fifth Circle mage gone, and the Rank Four knight captured. Their courage collapsed. Some dropped their weapons. Some were forced down by Marovain guards. The few who still tried to resist were beaten to the ground quickly.
Marovain guards tied their hands and removed fire charms from their belts and armor. The Marovain mages checked the broken formation lines, making sure no remaining bloodfire would rise again from under the stone platform.
Baron Ravencroft stood near the lower stones as if his soul had left his body and forgotten the way back.
His plan had failed.
Garran Velkhur was dead.
The support mage had escaped, but that did not help Ravencroft much. The old Velkhur elder had died on Ravencroft land after coming through Ravencroft’s invitation. The trap had failed. The meeting had become a battlefield. Robi Marovain was still alive. Celia was still alive. Lucard was still alive.
That was the worst part.
Lucard was alive.
Adrian looked even worse. He clutched his chest with trembling fingers, too afraid to move. The blood spell inside him was still there. He had watched Dorian die. Now he had watched Garran die. In his mind, the same thought kept repeating.
If Lucard could kill them, then what was Adrian to him? A weak hostage? A walking bug? A breathing mistake?
Tina had stopped speaking completely. That was the first useful thing she had done all day.
Robi walked toward Garran’s dried body. Black Barrow Hill became quiet.
The wind moved across the broken platform and carried away the smell of burned mana. Marovain guards moved fast across the hill, collecting weapons, checking the wounded. No one spoke loudly. Even the men who had won did not look happy. They understood that this victory would not end the matter. It would only bring a bigger storm.
Robi stood near the center of the platform and looked at Garran’s body for a long moment. His metal fingers opened and closed once.
For years, the name Garran Velkhur had remained like an old burn inside his memory. Robi had smiled through it, joked through it, and buried it under business, appraisal work, family duties, and age. But the wound had never truly disappeared. Garran had used traps, lies, and shameless tricks, then called those tricks strength. During the Red Ash Ruin expedition, Robi had lost his arm because of one of those dirty moves.
Now that old debt has finally ended.
Robi turned toward Lucard.
His eyes were serious.
"You helped me take revenge today."
Lucard looked at him calmly. "I helped myself too."
Robi gave a small laugh. "At least you do not pretend to be noble."
"Noble words waste time."
"Sometimes they buy time."
"Then use them when needed."
Robi watched him for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Fair."
Celia stood nearby, listening silently. She knew her uncle well enough to understand that those few words carried more feeling than he showed. Robi did not speak about his arm often. He did not speak about Garran unless forced. For him to thank Lucard in front of others meant the old hatred had been deeper than she thought.
Robi said, "Still, I will say it clearly. Thank you."
Lucard accepted the words without lowering his head.
"You still owe me ten million gold coins."
Celia closed her eyes for a second.
Robi stared at Lucard.
Then he laughed, this time with real amusement. "You ruined a rare emotional moment."
"I kept it profitable."
Celia muttered, "That is the most Lucard answer possible."
Lucard glanced at her. "You are learning."
Her face stiffened. "Do not speak like you are my teacher."
"Then stop improving."
Celia opened her mouth, then closed it because answering would only make him win somehow.
Robi looked between them, and the corner of his mouth lifted. Then his expression became cold again as his eyes moved toward Baron Ravencroft.
Ravencroft had been waiting below the cracked platform with Adrian, Tina, and the remaining guards. He looked like a man standing in front of a door that might open into death. His earlier confidence was gone.
Robi walked toward him.
Ravencroft immediately bowed.
"Lord Robi, please forgive me. I was forced into this matter. House Velkhur pressured me. I did not have the power to refuse them."
Robi stopped in front of him. "You had the power to send messages. You had the power to open your house. You had the power to bring everyone here. You knew about Garran’s plans. Do not pretend you were a leaf in the wind."
Ravencroft’s face became pale. "My lord, I only wanted to survive."
Robi slapped him.
Paak!
Ravencroft’s head turned to the side. The hill became silent again. His guards did not move. Adrian lowered his eyes. Tina stood behind him with her lips pressed tightly together, not daring to speak.
Robi’s voice was calm.
"That was for thinking you could use House Marovain and House Velkhur as shields while keeping your own hands clean."
Ravencroft held his cheek and bowed deeper. "I was wrong."
"Yes," Robi said. "You were."
Ravencroft did not argue. He understood his position clearly now. A baron could scheme while great families fought, but if the great families turned and looked at him, his schemes became very small things.
Robi continued, "You will write a full statement before sunset. You will write that Garran Velkhur used forbidden power first. You will write that the meeting turned violent because of him. You will write that House Marovain defended itself on Ravencroft land after being invited there."
Ravencroft swallowed. "Yes, Lord Robi."
"You will also write that House Vardros was under Marovain protection at the time. They were wrongly accused."
Ravencroft hesitated for a fraction of a second.
Lucard’s eyes moved to him.
Ravencroft immediately lowered his head. "Yes, Lord Robi."
Robi’s voice became sharper. "And if another blade from your house moves toward House Vardros while this matter is still open, I will not come with words next time."
Ravencroft bowed again. "I understand."
Robi waved one hand. "Leave now."
Ravencroft did not wait. He stepped back, then turned with Adrian, Tina, and his remaining guards. Adrian moved carefully, still holding his chest. Tina did not look at Lucard. She had learned that looking at him only made fear and anger fight inside her. Ravencroft’s group went down the hill quickly, but not so quickly that it looked like running.
Lucard watched them leave.