The Carr clan's compound was a fortress of black stone and green flags, its courtyards filled with disciples who now trained harder than ever, driven by fear rather than discipline. But the heart of the estate pulsed with rage.
Clan leader Tom Carr paced his private hall floor like a beast in a cage. The faint echo of his son's cries could still be heard in the hallways, serving as a stark reminder of the humiliation they had endured in the middle of the day.
Ewan sat hunched over in his chambers, his once-mighty physique now just a fragile shell of its former self. The arrogance that once defined him had given way to a mix of pain and disbelief.
Merchants and followers of small sects alike had feared him because he was untouchable. But with the casual cruelty of a thunderbolt, one stranger had broken that illusion.
