Chapter 12
Master Vorlag's Ire
Infuriated by his disciples' defeat, Master Vorlag decides to confront Gu Kai himself, underestimating the depth of his shadow abilities and his growing resolve.
The air in Master Vorlag’s chambers was thick with the cloying scent of incense and the acrid tang of his displeasure. Crimson banners bearing the snarling visage of a three-headed serpent hung limply from the dark wood walls, their vibrant color seeming to mock the storm brewing within the sect leader. His disciples, those who had returned with their tails between their legs, recounted the humiliating defeat with a mixture of shame and bewildered terror. They spoke of a boy, a mere village orphan, who had wielded shadows like a living weapon, twisting them, shaping them, and ultimately, unraveling their carefully honed techniques.
"Shadows?" Vorlag scoffed, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through the polished stone floor. He ran a thick finger along the hilt of his broadsword, the steel gleaming dully in the torchlight. "Mere parlor tricks. Illusions to distract the weak-minded. They were defeated by a boy?" His gaze swept over the assembled disciples, each flinching under his harsh scrutiny. "You call yourselves disciples of the Serpent's Coil? You are a disgrace."
A young man, his face bruised and his arm bandaged, stammered, "Master, it was… it was unlike anything we've ever faced. The shadows moved with intent. They felt… alive. He didn't just block our attacks; he seemed to absorb them, to turn them against us."
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