Chapter 5: Liran's Warning
I. The Shadow of Volkar's Greed
Evan's preparations for the Northern mission were twofold: physical training with Kaelen and political analysis with a chilling new purpose. The agony of the Sacrificial Magic had been suppressed but not eliminated. Its rhythmic, insistent thrum served as a constant reminder of the weekly deadline—a deadline that was now only three days away.
His trusted aide, Sergeant Valerius, returned from his initial probe with vital, dangerous information. The low-level businessman organizing the riots was Baron Teldar, who was cornering the local grain market under the cover of the unrest. The profit motive was clear, but the political puppetry was clearer still.
> Valerius: "My sources traced the Baron's exceptional funding to the capital, Your Highness. It runs through the private accounts of Minister Garrick, who handles the King's northern tax collection. Teldar is just the local mouth; Garrick is the political brain."
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Minister Garrick was a staunch loyalist to the Mecklace military elite and highly respected by the First Prince Alexander. To expose him politically would be messy; to eliminate him would be a swift surgical strike—a solution that neatly aligned with the Magic's demand for a justified kill.
II. The Scrutiny of a King
Evan was contemplating this grim necessity in the palace's forgotten library archives when he encountered Prince Liran, the fourteen-year-old Fourth Prince. Liran, unlike his siblings, was often found studying archaic texts.
Liran's youthful face held a disconcerting, strategic stillness. He spoke without preamble, his gaze locking onto Evan with the detached authority of an experienced ruler.
> Liran: "The Northern Vidroh is not a natural event, Brother. It is an engineered sacrifice."
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Evan's political instinct recoiled at the word "sacrifice," but the Sacrificial Magic in his chest flared in chilling recognition.
> Evan: "The Queen said it was a loyalty test. To prove my Silver Tongue can save the Kingdom."
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> Liran: "It is a test of your expendability. I have studied the 'Final Scythe' strategy of our ancestor, the King of the North. In times of extreme instability, the Crown sacrifices a visible Prince, creating a figurehead martyr. The subsequent public outrage grants the ruling King the moral grounds to crush all political dissent—both the rioters and any internal threats—under the banner of avenging the Prince's blood."
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Liran's words were a political death sentence. Evan realized that his diplomatic mission was rigged to fail, designed to end with his body being brought back to the capital to unify the nation through shared grief.
> Liran: "The Queen needs to unify the kingdom before Volkar moves. Your martyrdom is her chosen solution. You must survive this, Evan, or your death will be used to serve a purpose far darker than any you've imagined."
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III. Theron's Physical Probe
The political pressure was immediately compounded by a physical test orchestrated by Prince Theron. As Evan crossed the outer court, a hulking, aggressive Royal Guard captain—a known associate of Theron—stepped into his path.
> Captain Roric: "Going north, Prince? A fine mission for a politician. But when your words fail, who will hold the line? The last Prince Evan couldn't hold a mug of ale, let alone a sword."
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Roric was deliberately trying to provoke a reaction. When Evan remained silent, Roric shoved him hard, testing the stability of the once-meek Prince.
The push was violent, but Evan's reaction was not: it was Kaelen's training. Evan's feet remained rooted in the Mecklace Stand taught by the Master; he absorbed the force, shifted his weight, and neutralized Roric's aggression with a sudden, precise movement of his shoulder and hip. He didn't retaliate or argue; he simply stood immovable, radiating a cold, disciplined composure.
Roric backed off, his eyes momentarily flashing surprise and respect.
Evan knew the incident was already being reported back to Theron by the Whisper Spies hidden in the archways. The test was successful: Evan's physical Stand had changed. Theron now knew that his brother was not just speaking differently; he was built differently. This confirmation elevated Evan from a political nuisance to a strategic threat in Theron's eyes.
IV. The Choice of the Assassin
The pressure from all sides culminated in a single, necessary decision. The Sacrificial Magic demanded blood; the Queen demanded martyrdom; Theron demanded proof.
> Evan (Internal Monologue): If I kill the low-level Baron, I only satisfy the Magic. But if I eliminate Minister Garrick—the true mastermind—I dismantle the 'Sacrifice Strategy,' save the Northern Provinces from civil war, and simultaneously satisfy the Magic's dreadful due.
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His first move had to be a political assassination—a precise, clean strike against a dangerous figure to ensure his survival and the Kingdom's stability. He could not head North until the political architect of his demise was neutralized.
His training with Kaelen, his political analysis, and the inherited, terrible power were all converging on one dark act in the heart of the capital. The target was set. The Assassin had a clear, morally justified mission.