1. Three Days of Despair and the Edge of Breaking
After leaving Samara, the journey through the Widow's Pass began immediately. Kevin, Even, and their three comrades knew Surat's spies were out there, so their rule was to move for at least twenty hours a day.
The first three days passed in pure emptiness. There were no people on their route, just rough mountainsides and a cold, rocky streambed below. Even's knee, still injured from the Tournament, protested with every step.
Hunger and Thirst: Their rations were gone quickly. By the third day, the five men had shared only dry bread scraps and whatever unsanitary water they could find in the rocky paths. Even looked at Kevin once, his eyes full of exhaustion and rage. "That prison was better than this freedom. At least there, we had a routine."
Kevin didn't respond. He focused on helping Rumi, who was close to collapsing from fatigue. Kevin knew Surat's spies wanted exactly this—for them to become desperate and make a mistake. They were waiting for their human weakness to show.
2. The Village of Warmth and Stares
On the evening of the third day, just when they felt they couldn't take another step, they saw the small village. From a distance, it was simply a sign of peace.
When they walked in, their heavy, battered bodies immediately drew every eye. The toll of five years in the March was clearly visible on Kevin and Even's faces—it was enough to frighten the common villagers. Even's deep scars and Kevin's constant, cold alertness made them look like dangerous outsiders.
The villagers stared. The local young men looked at them with a mixture of fear and respect—seeing them not as champions, but as pure warriors.
Then, two small children dared to approach them. They held freshly baked bread and clean milk. Without saying a word, they offered the food to Even.
Even hesitated. He was stunned by such an unexpected act of kindness after years of brutality. Kevin nudged him, and Even gratefully took the food. That night, the five of them rented a small room, ate their first proper meal, and slept deeply—a necessary break from vigilance. That village felt like a true sanctuary.
3. The Midnight Massacre and The Betrayal
The terrifying sounds woke them up in the middle of the night: the clang of steel, the screams, the sounds of killing. Outside, there were over 200 soldiers, and they were showing no mercy.
When the soldiers noticed Kevin and Even, they immediately charged. The five companions realized this was the Surat Shadow Brigade. They were massacring the villagers because they had given sanctuary to the champions. This was Surat's cruel way of finding them.
The fight was brutal. Even's rage, Kevin's precision, and Rumi and Jax's sheer determination took down about twenty of the attackers. But they were completely surrounded.
Rumi and Jax made their decision. Rumi yelled, "Don't die here! You two must live! Run!"
Jax shouted, "Your fight is bigger! You must survive! We'll create the distraction!"
Kevin and Even couldn't bear it. It was the sacrifice they had always tried to prevent. But they knew they couldn't defeat 200 men, and the final purpose of their brotherhood was survival.
4. The Chase and the Final Ride
As Kevin and Even fled, their hearts were breaking for their friends and the innocent villagers. Just as they reached the village boundary, ten soldiers were right behind them. They were about to be caught.
Even's mind sharpened. He screamed, "Their horses! Get the horses!"
Even instantly turned. He used the Hook to snatch one soldier off his horse and slam him to the ground. Kevin quickly disabled two other soldiers with his Unseen Edge. After a short, desperate fight, they mounted three horses taken from the defeated soldiers and galloped away.
They rode at top speed, their focus absolute. They had left their comrades behind. They had no choice but to keep running.
5. Guilt and the Oath of Vengeance
When they finally stopped, far away in a safe, deserted area, they fell off the horses. Even's knee screamed, but the pain in his heart was worse.
Even let the horse go and sank to the ground, crying. His strength had failed him. "This is all our fault," he sobbed, his voice cracking with venom and sorrow. "Surat killed them. They killed those people who gave us peace. Rumi, Jax, Malik... everyone! All because we accepted that damned gold."
Kevin's face, usually rock-solid, was shattered. There were no tears, but there was a cold fury that was far more dangerous than any rage.
"This is the last mistake, Even," Kevin said, his voice flat and resolute. "We will never let an innocent person die for us again. Now, we will become so big that the Surat King fears to even look our way before attacking. And if he doesn't fear us, we will destroy him."
Their grief had transformed into a terrible vengeance. Before riding away, they made an oath: Their only mission now was to make Surat pay the highest price for every life they took.