The Man’s Decree

Meanwhile, Jared and his beleaguered companions were ensnared within the clutches of the Five Great Sects.

Their allies, Montane Daemon, Igor, the valiant Catina, and the resourceful Tyler, all bore the brunt of grievous wounds.

They were ringed by the covetous eyes of the Celestial Darkmore Sect, Celestial Moon Sect, and Celestial Sun Sect, whose disciples encircled them with avarice gleaming in their eyes.

The Demon Seal Alliance’s century-long promises were a lure too seductive to ignore.

Heinrik, Edward, and Stuart couldn’t help but exchange knowing looks and burst into mirthful laughter.

Despite Lauden’s express prohibition, the temptation of the Demon Seal Alliance’s offerings was too strong to resist.

Everyone had their schemes, their secret desires, and now, they were all here, with Jared unwittingly cast as their prey, a fish laid bare upon the board, awaiting their will to carve.

“Will you surrender your life willingly, or must we wrest it from you ourselves?” Heinrik asked, his smirk playfully cruel.

Jared’s response was silence, but the relentless fire in his eyes was a silent testament to his unyielding spirit.

Inside Jared’s nascence, the nascence star seemed to stir, twinkling with defiance.

Facing the inevitable, Jared’s resolve hardened; he would go down fighting, determined to drag as many as he could with him into the abyss.

Jared’s tenacity,

“You overestimate yourself, boy.

chosen defiance over surrender, we’ll show no

when a sudden, icy rebuke sliced through the air, a powerful presence that quashed Heinrik’s burgeoning force with

words?” It was Lauden, emerging alongside Keelan, leading a cadre of their

visage twisted

face contorted subtly upon laying eyes

you cannot disdain the Demon Seal Alliance’s century of

you?” With the support of sect leaders Edward and Stuart, and the collective might of three of the Five

have to strike me down first to get to him,” Lauden declared, his voice seething

in this young man’s fate?” Edward inquired, his tone

nothing

bounds, his fate is his

the Five Great Sects, such wanton

founded these sects on

these degraded times, should we not honor their memory? Should we not hold fast to the last vestiges

the Demon Sealing Alliance

attempts to consume even us?” Lauden’s voice