Rey stared at the bodies with wide eyes. His jaw tightened. Confusion filled his face, and irritation followed right after.

Jett, standing beside him, didn't react at all. His calm expression stayed the same. No shock. No emotion as he watched the scene Asher had created.

That annoyed Rey even more.

"Why?" Rey asked, his voice sharp. "We already knocked them out. You didn't need to kill them. You made that clear the first time."

Asher stayed silent. He wiped the blood off his cheek with a steady hand and looked at the corpses with no trace of emotion.

Rey stepped forward. "Was that really necessary? Say something."

"They don't deserve to live." Asher flicked his finger. The daggers ripped out of the corpses and snapped back into his grip, pulled by thin threads almost invisible to the naked eye.

Rey turned on Jett. "Why aren't you saying anything? You saw what he did."

Jett still didn't speak. He watched Asher with a steady expression. He understood the meaning behind those kills. Asher wasn't the type to attack anyone who didn't exceed a clear line. If he acted, it was because one of three conditions was true. They threatened the existence of himself or someone close, threatened his mission, or he had judged them worthless to spare or in simpler terms, human trash.

Jett already knew which one applied to them so he kept his mouth shut.

Asher finally broke the silence. "I'll explain on the way. We need to leave."

He grabbed two corpses by the arms and dragged them toward the edge. The intent was obvious.

Rey looked away, unable to watch the rest. He clenched his fists. His steps were stiff as he helped clear the scene without meeting Asher's eyes.

"I'll do it. Go on ahead without me." Jett tapped Asher on the shoulder. "Explain it to him on the way. I don't need the explanation."

Asher stopped for a moment. His eyes narrowed. "What are you up to?"

"Me? Nothing at all." Jett gave a half smile that didn't reveal anything.

Asher studied him for a few seconds. He could sense Jett was hiding something but he couldn't see the angle yet. He let it go. "Fine." He released the bodies and turned away. "Hurry up."

Rey looked at Jett one last time. He still looked annoyed, but he followed Asher. The two walked down the deck, leaving Jett alone with the corpses.

*****

Asher kept the same steady pace. He didn't look back when he spoke. "You want to know why I did it." His tone was flat, "it's practically written all over your face at this point."

"Of course. You owe me an explanation." Rey's irritation was clear in his voice. Sleeps down Rey knew that wasn't true but he still couldn't justify Asher's actions in his head.

Asher didn't slow down. "Those men were the kind of people I hate the most. Back in our old world, and here too." His eyes scanned the ship as if he expected danger at every corner. "People who act strong when their target is weak, but fold when someone stronger appears."

Rey felt his chest tighten a bit. He had seen people like that before, but Asher's hatred carried more weight.

"They enjoy hurting anyone below them. They take from people who cannot fight back. They use their power only when it costs them nothing." Asher's tone sharpened. "This world gives them chance after chance to ruin others. They never stop unless someone ends them."

Rey stayed quiet. He finally understood what Asher meant, but he still didn't know the full story.

Asher continued. "Those weren't even guards, they were criminals. The kind that hide behind others. Long records, plenty of blood on their hands, and no intention to change."

He took a slow breath. "People like that don't deserve another day alive."

Rey spoke with a firm tone. "We could have subdued them so they would face punishment later." He paused as Asher stopped walking and handed him a piece of paper stained with a blood mark.

"You didn't let me finish," Asher said. "This should answer everything."

Rey studied the mark. He felt sure he had seen it before, but the memory stayed blurry. "This looks familiar, back home maybe? But why do I get this ominous feeling the more I look at it?."

"You forgot the group that tried to kidnap Freya?" Asher pushed the clue toward him.

"Tried to kidnap Fre..." Rey froze as the memory snapped into place. "Them. The Crimson Hounds. How? Why are they here?" His voice rose as more questions hit him. Why were they in their trial. How did they appear here. What was happening.

"You have questions, but I do not know the answers," Asher said. He frowned at Rey's confused face. "We need to ask Alok when we leave. One thing is clear."

A new voice cut in before he finished.

"Under absolutely no circumstances should Freya come to hear about this. Not until we've come to make sense of this shitty story." Jett walked past them with a steady pace. "We meet the others now."

*****

The tension in the room tightened as everyone stared at the three who had just arrived, their faces frozen and pale. Silence stretched, but the unease was palpable but no one dared to speak.

"Can we please address the elephant in the room?" Finn finally broke the silence, relieving everyone else. Then, as if it mattered, he added, "Why does my room always end up being the go-to for meetings like this?"

"FOCUS!" Morrigan yelled, smacking his head.

Jett stepped forward, voice cold and steady. "We have a problem." Asher placed the paper on the table for everyone to see. "Those bastards are here. To be precise, they're the guards on this ship."

"Wait, wait, wait... hold on. Ignoring the obvious question of why they're here, how the hell are they in this trial?" Matthew asked, perplexed. "Does Freya know about this?"

"I'm just as shocked as you are and No, Freya doesn't, and we're going to keep it that way," Jett replied sharply.

"No wonder she's not here. But what are they really planning?" Morrigan muttered aloud, drawing everyone's attention.

"They plan to sneak into Laxen and cause chaos by summoning demons in the heart of the city," Asher explained.

"But why go through all that trouble posing as guards?" Rosa asked, trying to make sense of it.

"Isn't it obvious?" Finn said. Everyone turned to him, waiting. He sighed, then continued. "Traveling in a large group will surely draw suspicion. If there are known criminals among them, solo travel or small teams won't work either. Dressing as credible guards protecting legitimate merchandise and nobles? Nobody checks the identity of ordinary guards, even during patrols unless the situation calls for it. And the result..., they slip through unnoticed."

"They'll disappear from sight once they're cleared," Finn added, proud of his deduction.

"Wow. Spoken like a true con artist," Aiden said sarcastically, clapping slowly. Finn bristled, about to reply, when a knock at the door cut through the tension.

"Open up, guys," a familiar voice called.

It was Freya.

*

*

*

You think she probably has PTSD?

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