The days after the mission passed like shadows, fleeting and uneventful. But for Raden, the weight of his actions continued to cling to him, like the smoke from the factory fires that never quite seemed to lift. Each time he closed his eyes, he saw the faces of the Red Rabbits—young men and women, no older than himself, their lives snuffed out by his hand. The image wouldn't fade.
Raden hadn't spoken much since the mission, and the silence around him felt thick, suffocating. Kamebrow kept him on task, kept him training, but the presence of the Mage Breakers was like a constant reminder of what he had become. A soldier. A killer. There was no room for hesitation, no room for regret. Those feelings—those thoughts—would only get him killed.
And yet, at night, when he was alone in his cot, he couldn't help but wonder: What had he really accomplished?
The next morning, Raden found himself standing in front of Kamebrow again, his eyes dull, his body aching from the constant training.
"You've been distracted," Kamebrow said, his tone sharp. "Focus. The next phase begins now."
Raden nodded, though his mind was elsewhere. He had to stay focused. He had no choice.
"The Red Rabbits were only the beginning," Kamebrow continued. "There are more enemies. More threats to the empire. We'll be hunting them, one by one. But this time, you're not just going to be a blade in the dark. You'll be a part of something larger."
Raden glanced up, his brow furrowing. "What do you mean?"
Kacmebrow stepped closer, his green eyes locking onto Raden's with unsettling intensity. "You will be tested again. But this time, it's not about your strength. It's about your resolve. The empire's enemies are everywhere. And they come in many forms—magicians, rebels, criminals. It's your job to eliminate them."
Raden felt a coldness settle in his chest. He had already killed. And now he was being told he would be tested again. He didn't know if he could do it. If he wanted to.
Kamebrow continued, unaware of Raden's internal struggle. "Your next target is a group of defectors. Mages who have abandoned the empire. They've gone into hiding, but we've found them. And they'll pay for their betrayal."
Raden felt the breath catch in his throat. Mages? He had only just begun to understand the power of magic. To be told that he would be hunting down other mages was... unnerving.
"Is this what the Mage Breakers do?" Raden asked, his voice hoarse.
Kacmebrow's eyes narrowed. "This is what you do. The Mage Breakers only take what's necessary. And those who defy the empire—those who choose to abandon their duty—are necessary to take down."
Raden couldn't bring himself to say anything else. His mind was racing with thoughts of what he had already done. Had he really become just another tool of the empire? Was this what it meant to survive in this world—kill first, ask questions later?
Before he could speak again, a voice called from across the training yard.
"Raden!"
It was Jay.
Jay had been training for weeks now, but something was different today. His usual enthusiasm, his excitement to learn, was gone. His eyes, sharp and focused, seemed distant, like he was somewhere else entirely.
Raden turned to face him, his gaze softening just a little. Jay had been his closest friend from the start. They had both come from the ghetto, had both lived through the same struggles. But now, with Raden's world shifting, Jay seemed more like a stranger.
"Hey," Jay called out, jogging toward him. "What's going on? You've been acting off lately."
Raden took a deep breath. "Nothing," he lied. "Just… a lot of training."
Jay raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Training?" he repeated, looking Raden up and down. "You've been training for hours every day for the last two weeks. You're always here, always working. It's not just training, is it?"
Raden hesitated. He wanted to tell Jay everything. The mission. The killing. The sense of dread that clung to him now. But he didn't. Jay wasn't ready. And besides, what could he say? He couldn't put into words what he was feeling.
"It's nothing," he said again, his voice more distant this time.
Jay, despite the concern in his eyes, didn't press further. He just stood there, looking at Raden for a moment longer before finally nodding.
"Alright. But if you ever need to talk, I'm here."
Raden gave a brief nod, but his mind was already drifting back to the mission. The next phase. The mages who had abandoned the empire. He was being trained to hunt them down, just as he had been trained to hunt criminals, to hunt anyone who posed a threat. But there was one thing Kamebrow hadn't told him.
What if the people he was hunting weren't the enemies? What if they were like him—just trying to survive in a world that had no room for the weak?
Hours later, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Raden found himself standing outside the training hall, staring into the distance. He could hear the muffled sounds of practice behind him—the sparring of soldiers, the crackle of magic in the air—but he didn't turn around. His thoughts were elsewhere.
It was then that Kamebrow approached him again, this time with a stern look on his face.
"Ready?" he asked.
Raden didn't answer immediately. He wasn't ready. He wasn't sure he ever would be. But he had no choice. The empire demanded results. And the Mage Breakers would get them, no matter the cost.
"Let's go," Raden said, his voice firm, though his insides churned with doubt.
As they moved out of the castle, the cold night air hit Raden like a slap in the face. The moon hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the city as they made their way toward the location where the mages had been spotted.
Kamebrow was ahead, his pace brisk, unwavering. He was a man on a mission, and Raden was right behind him, the weight of his blade heavy at his side.
They arrived at a small, secluded building—abandoned, like so many others in the city. The smell of damp wood and decay filled the air. Raden's pulse quickened. He had no idea what awaited them inside, but something told him it wouldn't be as easy as the last mission.
Kamebrow stopped just before the door, turning to face Raden.
"This is your test," Kamebrow said, his eyes piercing. "Do not hesitate. These are mages who betrayed the empire. If you have any doubts… it will cost you."
Raden's throat tightened, but he nodded.
No hesitation.
Kamebrow pushed open the door, and they entered the darkened building, the echoes of their footsteps swallowed by the shadows.
Inside, the mages were waiting—five of them, their faces shadowed and unreadable. They had been expecting the Mage Breakers. But they weren't afraid.
Kacmebrow's voice rang out in the silence. "You've betrayed the empire. For that, you will pay."
Raden's eyes scanned the room, landing on one mage in particular—a young woman with red hair, her eyes defiant, her stance unyielding. She didn't look like an enemy. She looked like a survivor.
And for the first time since he had joined the Mage Breakers, Raden felt a pang of doubt.