"What?"Xayne could hardly believe what he heard, and his face turned pale with shock. Both Warren and Hammond had retired and settled into quiet lives back in their hometowns.He wondered if it was because Hilton wouldn't leave them alone, trying to drive them to their deaths. Xayne quickly asked, "When did this happen?""Just last night, Hilton's subordinates arrived at the homes of the two elders. This morning, we received reports that their sons had been taken, but we don't know much beyond that."So, do you want us to send some protection for them?"Xayne stood there, thinking, his chest heaving as he shook his head slowly and said, "No, I'll go in person."It wasn't that Dracarium couldn't protect Warren and Hammond. Dracarium had no real jurisdiction in this matter, and sending them could give Hilton the ammunition he needed to accuse Dracarium of disobedience before the authorities."Drakon King, should I send someone ahead?" Dragos asked anxiously."No need. I'll lea

The middle-aged man's face twisted into a cruel grin as he gripped the little boy's hair tightly.The boy's eyes brimmed with tears, but he clenched his jaw, refusing to cry out."Rory! That girl you dishonored back then was a citizen of Drakonia! She was only sixteen, and you kept her locked in your quarters, brutalizing her until she died!"Don't you understand? As an officer of our nation, your actions defied all decency and honor. How could I have left you in your post and still claimed to serve justice?" Warren roared, pointing an accusatory finger at the man.Rory laughed smugly, shoving the boy into the hands of an enforcer nearby. With his hands clasped behind his back, he pointed to his polished jacket and sneered, "You're just jealous, Warren. You don't like me! But it doesn't matter. Hilton sees my worth. Look at me now. I have everything I could want. Look at you. You're miserable!""You're all cut from the same rotten cloth! There will come a day when you all get what

'Vinny Sands?'Xayne thought that he had left Wyncock thirty years ago.Xayne's mind flashed back to the stories about this man's illustrious past. Decades ago, Vinny was a fearsome force within Wyncock, single-handedly defeating the masters of dozens of circles before finally challenging KB Kings Circle.Klink, then a Bi-Divine Commander, accepted the challenge when this man was already a Tri-Divine Commander and, within five moves, left Vinny defeated and gravely wounded, nearly killing him. Only Klink's disdain for taking his life spared Vinny from an unmarked grave. Since that crushing defeat, Vinny had vanished from Wyncock.Rumors swirled. Some said he had taken his own life, while others claimed he was training in seclusion, determined to return stronger.Now, thirty years later, his sudden appearance made Xayne narrow his eyes, not out of fear, but wonder at the mysterious forces behind Hilton, who could mobilize a figure long thought lost to the ages that even if his disc

Xayne remembered the terrifying technique of the Yin-Yang Lord. With just a single pointed finger, he had been plunged into an endless illusion in front of his eyes. He surely would have perished under that attack if he hadn't already merged with the Crimson Dragon's Heart. Light, fire, and shadow were the three natural forces that could create illusions potent enough to deceive any opponent.Though he had merged with the Golden Dragon's Heart, Xayne had never attempted this particular formation before. Now was the time.With a single decisive finger-point, the space around him trembled as though bending under the pressure. Vinny prepared to counter, raising his palm to strike, but suddenly, everything before him went pitch black.He had no idea what was going on.Warren's estate, the law enforcement officers, and Rory had all vanished. Even Xayne was nowhere to be seen. With his hand raised, Vinny stood paralyzed in this dark void, eyes darting back and forth in utter confusion.

With a wave, Xayne signaled the law enforcement officers to leave. Relieved to escape, they scrambled to their feet and ran, not bothering to retrieve Rory's body.As the officers disappeared, Xayne approached Warren and said, "Warren, it's no longer safe for you here. Why not come back with me to Folksworth?""Return to Folksworth?" Warren shook his head slowly. Leaving was no longer an option for him. Warren knew that with Rory's death here and the Emperor's men already watching, any sudden relocation would appear suspicious."I appreciate your kindness, Xayne, but if Hammond and I were to leave now, it would only give our enemies more to use against us. The Emperor will get the truth about Rory's death, and I cannot abandon my home." He paused, then added, "However, can I entrust my grandson to your care?"At that, Warren called over his grandson, a seven-year-old boy who clung tightly to his grandfather's leg and refused to leave."Wade, you need to be brave and obey Xayne," W