The other two figures followed, stumbling in awkwardly, unaccustomed to the dark. They entered, armed only with wooden clubs and knives, which they pointed towards the cave's interior.
The smell of their fear grew stronger.
And finally, they managed to see Kairos's silhouette. "Hey, you!" their leader yelled, his voice cracking as he tried to hide his fear.
"Coins, goods, whatever you're hiding!" he barked, forcing his voice to sound intimidating.
"Hand it over, or we'll cut your throat!" he threatened, but the knife in his hand trembled.
Kairos did not answer, just remained still. Then, slowly, he stood with a fluid movement, and silently, he stepped towards the men.
His muscles, now recovering, pulsed with his draconic strength. His predator's instinct awoke, wanting to unleash the slaughter he had held back.
His eyes narrowed, emitting a faint golden-blue glow in the dark.
The men realized that the person before them was different from ordinary humans, but it was already too late. "Are you deaf, bastard?" the second man snarled, his club raised, ready to strike Kairos.
Suddenly he moved, not just fast, but suddenly vanishing from before the men. The three attackers froze, their eyes searching for the person who was suddenly no longer there.
"Where is he...?" The third man did not get to finish his sentence, as Kairos appeared at his side, hitting the man's neck with a bare hand with incredible force.
His neck bone instantly cracked, emitting a small, horrifying sound that echoed in the cave. Blood spurted from his mouth, and his eyes widened in terror.
His body instantly collapsed lifelessly. His club fell, its sound echoing loudly on the cave's stone floor.
"What demon is this!" their leader shrieked, his voice piercing. His fear turned into pure terror gripping him.
He wildly swung his knife through the empty air towards Kairos, but he was no longer there. He ducked and spun, his leg sweeping low and fast, shattering the second man's knee.
Bones breaking sounded like dry wood snapping. The man collapsed, his scream tearing through the cave's silence, its echo reverberating wildly. His hands flailed towards Kairos, desperately trying to fight back as he saw him step forward.
But his efforts were futile. Kairos stomped on the man's wrist, crushing his bones. The knife in his hand immediately dropped, falling with a faint metallic clink.
The man's screams grew louder, then cut off into heart-wrenching sobs of pain.
Now only their leader remained, retreating in a panicked stumble. The small knife in his hand trembled violently, pointed at where Kairos had stood moments before.
"You... you monster!" he sobbed, his voice broken, his knife falling as his hands could no longer hold it due to shaking.
Kairos just stepped forward slowly, each step echoing against the cave walls. His pupils began to narrow like a snake's, and he smiled coldly.
What he saw in that man was more than just a criminal. He saw more than that.
His pulse throbbing wildly in the man's neck, the sweat drenching his pale face. He also smelled the blood from what he had done, and most of all, he smelled fear.
All of this awakened his predatory instinct. He held himself back, not to act on that instinct.
"Baron Varkos, where is he tonight?" Kairos asked in a hoarse voice.
The man flinched, hearing the sudden question, his eyes blinking in confusion mixed with immeasurable fear.
"Varkos? Are you mad?!" he shrieked, his voice almost gone. "I..."
Kairos stepped closer to him, intentionally unleashing his draconic aura, pressing down on the man. A wave of heat emanated from his body, feeling like a burning furnace, making the man wince in fear again.
"Do you know, or not?" Kairos hissed.
"N-no!" the man shrieked. "A-at his castle! He'll always be at his castle! Don't... don't kill me!" he pleaded, sobbing.
"Convoy to Veridian," Kairos interrupted, ignoring the man's sobs. "When? What's the route?"
The man fell to his knees, his body trembling violently. "I'm just... just a thief!" he said brokenly. "As for the convoy, next week! Through the Iron Bridge! Brenn and his men usually..."
His words hung in the air, but Kairos nodded without taking his eyes off the man. This information matched what he had overheard yesterday at Marta's tavern.
He approached the man, raising one hand, its palm now glowing red, like embers.
The man recoiled with a very pale face, feeling the scorching heat burning his skin even though Kairos was a step away.
"Did you see anything tonight? In this forest, in this cave?" he hissed, his eyes shining in the darkness.
"No! I saw nothing! We just got lost in the fog!" the man shook his head violently and frantically, tears mixing with sweat on his face.
Kairos stared at him for a moment, then his hand slowly lowered. "Run," he commanded in a flat, yet menacing tone. "Forget this cave, forget about me. If you remember... I will hunt you down and burn you alive."
The man froze for a moment, not expecting to survive. Once he realized, without waiting for a second command, he ran, stumbling over his lifeless comrade's body, getting up, and then fleeing out of the cave with all his might.
Soon, the man was neither seen nor heard again.
Kairos still stood among the human bodies lying on the cave's stone floor. He looked at them without any emotion.
He crouched down near the man whose only injuries were his knee and wrist. "Did you hear what I told him?" he asked in a voice as cold as ice.
The man nodded, his body trembling. "Good," Kairos stood, threatening him with a sharp tone. "Pray I don't come back for you."
He turned, returning to the dark inner reaches of the cave, ignoring the groans and the smell of blood that filled the air. His mind raced, processing the information and planning his next move.
And his vessel had been tested, with satisfying results. He was faster and more lethal than an ordinary human, his senses sharp, and he could now unleash his Dragon Fear aura.
But for him, all this was still not enough. He needed to fully master his core's fire, otherwise, it would erupt uncontrollably at any time.