Dara stood on the sidelines, his face a mask of stoic indifference. He wasn't interested in interfering, not yet.
"Obed, wait!" Micah pleaded, his voice strained with desperation. He was trying to be the voice of reason, the peacemaker, but the situation was spiraling out of control, fueled by the volatile mix of anger and pride.
Obed, however, was deaf to his pleas. "You can't hurt me!" he roared, his voice filled with a terrifying confidence. He launched himself at Taylor, his eyes burning with a ferocious intensity. This wasn't just a fight anymore, it was a personal vendetta, a desperate attempt to prove his worth, to right a wrong.
Taylor, however, saw through Obed's bravado. He knew he was a better fighter, a seasoned warrior, and this boy, fueled by rage and grief, was no match for his experience. As Obed lunged, Taylor sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the attack. He then retaliated, a swift kick to Obed's back sending him crashing to the ground.
The king, a silent observer, watched the unfolding drama with an air of detached amusement. He had seen Taylor in action before, a master of combat, a warrior who had conquered countless adversaries. He had no doubt about the outcome of this fight.
"I'm done with this, I'm tired of this shit" Taylor said, his voice laced with a weary frustration. He wasn't enjoying this, not one bit.
Obed, however, was not done. He scrambled to his feet, his eyes blazing with renewed fury. Taylor, however, was ready. He grabbed Obed's arm, twisted it, sending him crashing to the ground. He then rained down a series of blows, punches and kicks, his movements precise and powerful.
The king smiled, his lips curling into a knowing smirk. He had seen enough. Taylor was a force of nature, a whirlwind of destruction, and he had no doubt that he would emerge victorious. He had no intention of interfering. He had a show to watch, and he wouldn't miss a single moment.
"You should stop because I am going to humiliate you to the end!! if you're not stopping I will kill you!" Taylor threatened.
Obed's words hung in the air, a chilling accusation that shattered the fragile peace. "You can't! I'm not my sister, the one you murdered! You killed her because she knew how you killed King Genesis, and then you silenced her to protect your secret!"
A ripple of shock ran through the crowd. Whispers of disbelief and fear mingled with the rustle of fabric as the weight of Obed's accusation settled upon them. Even Taylor, initially confused, recognized the truth in Obed's words. He had never met Jane's brother, but the intensity in Obed's eyes, the raw grief in his voice, confirmed his identity.
The king's face a mask of surprise, felt a cold knot of dread tighten in his stomach. Taylor's story had been different, a carefully crafted narrative designed to gain his trust and secure his position. Now, with Obed's accusation, the truth was unraveling, exposing the cracks in Taylor's facade.
Micah and Dara, however, remained unfazed. They had suspected the truth, had seen the dark undercurrents beneath Taylor's carefully cultivated image. They knew of his past, of his ruthless ambition, and the lengths he would go to protect his secrets.
"You're lying, man! I don't even know you!" Taylor roared, his voice laced with desperation. He couldn't let the king suspect he had lied before, that would be a double blow, a fatal wound to his already precarious position.
"Yes, you don't know me, but I know you very well!" Obed retorted, his voice dripping with venomous certainty. He reached for a second sword, a gleaming blade strapped to his waist, and launched himself at Taylor with renewed fury.
Taylor, however, was ready. He grabbed Obed's arm with a strength born of desperation, twisting him around and sending a powerful punch to his stomach. Obed stumbled backward, gasping for breath, his face contorted in pain. Taylor's anger, a simmering volcano, erupted, a torrent of rage fueled by the realization that this boy, this stranger, was determined to destroy his carefully crafted image, to expose him for the monster he truly was.
If he continues to allow Obed talk freely then he is going to completely ruin the trust placed on him from this new king he is serving and that is going to cause a very big problem for him again he already have enough enemy and he do not want to have more and killing this boy is just an only option for him as he can see, Obed is not ready to stop because he was so determined and anger boiling inside him.
The impact of Taylor's punch sent Obed crashing against the wall, a sickening thud echoing through the chamber.
"I told you to stop and you didn't listen maybe I will just give you exactly what you want!" Taylor said when he reached him he grabbed him up and started sending multiple punches on his face which was leaving his mouth bloodied.
Dara's heart clenched. He had watched Obed's grief, his rage, his desperate struggle for justice. He had seen the fire in his eyes, the unyielding spirit that refused to be extinguished. He realized, with a jolt of clarity, that Obed was the last vestige of his family, the sole survivor of a tragedy that had ripped through their lives. He had to live, not just for himself, but for the legacy of his family, for the memory of those he had lost.
As Dara moved to intervene, a surge of energy coursed through Obed. It was as if the weight of his grief had been lifted, replaced by a raw, primal power. He unleashed a devastating punch, connecting with Taylor's jaw with bone-jarring force. Taylor stumbled back, his face contorted in pain, a low groan escaping his lips.
"Aaah!" he roared, his anger rising like a tidal wave. He lunged forward, his eyes blazing with fury, ready to finish what he had started. But in that moment, Obed, with a swiftness that defied belief, drew an arrow from somewhere, perhaps hidden beneath his cloak, perhaps materialized from the very air around him. It was a weapon they hadn't seen before, a silent, deadly threat.
Before Taylor could react, Obed loosed the arrow. It flew through the air, a streak of darkness, piercing Taylor's heart with a sickening thud. Taylor gasped, a choked cry escaping his lips, his hand clutching at the arrow that protruded from his chest.
The king, his eyes wide with disbelief, rose to his feet, his gaze fixed on the scene unfolding before him. The silence in the chamber was deafening, broken only by the heavy breaths of everyone. They watched, transfixed, as Taylor's face pale and drawn, slumped to the ground, his body limp and lifeless.
The king's heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of fear and relief swirling within him.