Chapter 219
Perched atop the tree like a predator surveying its prey stood a man—tall, imposing, and radiant in knight armor polished to a dark steel hue.
His armor shimmered subtly under the broken light filtering through the forest canopy. His dark hair was slicked back neatly, a sharp contrast to the wild chaos of the battlefield below. Eyes darker than storm clouds peered down with a chilling clarity, scanning the scene with utter calm.
He looked like a war god descended.
Every movement he made seemed precise, intentional, terrifyingly still. His hand rested lightly on the hilt of a sword sheathed at his side, fingers twitching slightly as if measuring every heartbeat below.
The mercenaries and bandits stood paralyzed in awe and fear. Their earlier rage and confusion had turned into silence. No one dared speak.
From his vantage, the knight observed everything. He saw broken carriages, bloodied warriors, the smoke from dying fires curling through the air. Bodies lay scattered across the clearing, some moaning in pain, others unmoving. Kael stood with sword in hand. The burly armored man a few steps in front, shouting accusations. Trevor trembling behind. To his sharp eyes, nothing was hidden.
A brief flicker passed through his gaze—not of anger, but cold understanding.
And then he spoke.
His voice cut through the tension like a blade.
"I heard there is a Royal Guard leader among you," he said, calm but commanding. "Who is that person?"
The words echoed across the clearing, heavy and inescapable. For a moment, no one answered. Then it began to sink in.
Trevor stiffened, his heart pounding like a war drum. His mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.