The air grew warmer as the sun pierced through the oppressive darkness of the sky. Bojan stood there, facing his tormentor, ready to save the one who had tried to free him. Herman burst into laughter, finding the scene absurd: a broken man, in agony, still daring to defy him, and worse, for the sake of a fool whose fate seemed already sealed.

"Bojan, is that it? An Arubean prisoner..." Herman muttered, searching his memory. "Ah! Yes, I remember you now. You're one of the prisoners from the tower, with that little girl with the white wick in her hair. Your file intrigued me back then. You were here long before I arrived. Accused of sinking an Imperial Guard ship bound for Aruba… And then there were all those escape attempts, not to mention the murder of one of your masters. Quite the track record… There was also something else unusual in your file, I think…"

"Shut up!" Bojan roared, rushing at him with lightning speed. Their hands collided violently, each trying to overpower the other. Herman didn't lose his smile; he knew he had hit a sore spot.

"Oh, really? Losing your temper so easily? What would he say, your son, if he saw you like this?"

Bojan's face tightened in fury, his teeth grinding with rage. Without warning, he delivered a swift kick to Herman's stomach, a surge of electricity coursing through his body. Caught off guard, the director was flung backward, his feet scraping the ground to stop his fall.

Armand, who had been watching the scene from the start, noticed how deeply Herman's words affected his friend. He looked at Bojan, panting, his hands trembling with anger, but the fury didn't seem entirely directed at Herman, it was also aimed at himself.

"Bojan…" he murmured.

The director, wiping a smear of blood from his lips, laughed even harder. "If I'm not mistaken, he was released long ago at the request of a master from a southern school. Apparently, he had potential. I suppose you hoped to find him again once you were free? Don't worry, I'll send him your corpse as a gift!"

At that moment, two black chains shot out from Herman's back, coiling around Bojan's arms, violently pulling him forward. As he was hurled forward, Herman delivered a brutal headbutt to his forehead. Bojan barely wavered, quickly regaining his footing. He grabbed the chains that were slowly draining his energy, but despite the pain, he held on. Gritting his teeth, he channeled electricity into his hands once more, sending another shock along the chains, which struck his opponent's body.

"I forbid you to talk about him again!" he shouted.

Herman groaned in pain, his massive body burning under the electrical onslaught. Even a man of his stature couldn't remain unaffected by such an attack. But little by little, Bojan weakened, the chains draining every ounce of his strength. The surrounding magic was low, and his power dwindled. Despite the pain, Herman slowly regained his composure, a cruel smile stretching across his lips.

He grabbed Bojan's arms, tightening the chains around him, then delivered a brutal knee to his stomach. The blow was so strong that Bojan let go, coughing up blood mixed with bile. The chains tightened further, and Herman, holding them firmly, began to spin. He poured all his strength into the movement, swinging Bojan like a mere hammer before hurling him violently against a wall.

"See you around!"

The chains detached just in time to avoid being dragged along. But at that moment, an indigo rift appeared in the air, and Bojan slipped into it. Inside, he was mysteriously slowed, before reappearing on the ground, still dazed from the impact.

"That rift… It can only be the kid," Herman muttered, turning his gaze to where Armand had been, but he was gone.

"Herman!" Armand's voice echoed behind him.

The young man stood there, surrounded by a faint orange aura. His hands were clasped together, then he slowly pulled them apart, summoning a thin, orange-hued magical sword. Herman barely had time to spot him before he sent his chains hurtling toward the young man, aiming to strike from a distance.

Fueled by adrenaline, Armand slashed through the chains as he sprinted toward Herman, his pain momentarily forgotten.

"They're not so different from the old man's roots…" he murmured, cutting his way through the repeated chain attacks.

"I already told you not to be too confident when facing the insurmountable, boy!" Herman shouted, charging straight at him. With a sharp gesture, he loosened a chain around his left forearm, which began to float. He skillfully dodged a sword strike and struck Armand's arm with the back of his right hand, forcing him to drop his weapon.

"Damn it!" Armand cursed, seeing no way out and feeling exhaustion overtaking his body.

It was then that a small, desperate voice broke the silence.

"Stop!" it cried.

As Herman prepared to deliver the fatal blow, a small stone struck his head. Surprised, he turned, looking for the one who dared such a pathetic attack.

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Carolina stood there, trembling but determined. She had climbed the stairs after Bojan left her behind. Terrified, she had nonetheless found the courage to return, refusing to leave without him.

"Another fool… What do you think you're doing, White Wick?"

He left Armand on his knees, a hand on his trembling arm. The young man, incredulous, didn't understand why she had turned back. This frail girl, incapable of feeling magic, had just put herself in danger without thinking.

"I won't let you touch her, you filthy monster!" Bojan said, painfully getting to his feet to stand in front of her. Out of breath, the faint electric sparks from his body betrayed his exhaustion. "You shouldn't have followed me, Carolina… It was your only chance to regain your freedom," he said painfully.

"Idiots just keep coming one after another," Herman growled before charging at Bojan, swinging the chain wrapped around his forearm. Bojan took the blows, but instead of retreating, he rushed at him, wrapping his arms around Herman in a tight embrace. A surge of electricity coursed through his body, electrocuting Herman again. Though his attack lacked the power it had earlier, he refused to let go, even as the chain mercilessly struck his back.

"Armand! Now!"

Behind him, Armand stood up, sword in hand. Despite his injuries, and forced to use his left arm, he started running toward Herman again. They didn't need to coordinate their strategy: they had to cut the chains that covered the director's body, as they were the source of his power. It was their only chance to end this.

But they had gravely underestimated the rage and endurance of this titan.

"You're really starting to get on my nerves, you bunch of vermin!"

Mad with rage, Herman no longer held back. He grabbed Bojan's wrists, crushing them in his hands as if they were nothing, forcing Bojan to release him. Without missing a beat, he seized him by the arm and hurled him violently at Armand. Unable to dodge, Armand cushioned his friend's fall, collapsing with him. The impact caused Armand to lose his sword, which slid to Carolina's feet.

With a brutal kick, Herman shoved Bojan out of his way, then, with his free chain, grabbed Armand by the neck and lifted him high into the air, his feet no longer touching the ground.

"I've had enough. You no longer amuse me. It's time to end this."

He pulled Armand's face close to his to make sure he listened. "You want to know something? I've seen dozens like you. These clueless fools who think they can do anything just because they have magic, blind to reality! I bet you've only just developed your specialization, which I must admit is surprisingly complete, but your lack of experience is obvious! You must have felt invincible, thinking you could defeat me and free all these criminals?"

Armand could no longer respond, the chain tightening around his throat, choking him. He felt this was the end. Tears streamed down his cheeks as despair filled his eyes. Herman, on the other hand, was reveling in the moment.

"That look, this is much better. All that false confidence, created by this power you think you've mastered… But in reality, you're nothing but a weakling!"

He tightened his grip even more, lifting him higher before suddenly releasing his neck. The young man fell, but before he could even hit the ground, Herman delivered such a violent blow to his abdomen that Armand was sent flying. His body soared through the floor before crashing outside, landing among the debris under the watchful eyes of a few prisoners still curious about the outcome.

Herman was now certain that it was over for him. Turning back to Carolina, he saw her trembling but determined, holding Armand's magical sword. Fear almost paralyzed her, but she stood firm against the monster.

"You're the one Baring wants for a ridiculous sum, if what Saukel told me is true. That lousy banker can go to hell! No fortune can make up for what I lost tonight. You're going to end up like them. You'll regret coming back!"

He flung his chain with incredible force. Carolina, still trembling, raised the sword and managed to sever the tip of the chain. But it wasn't enough. The chain struck her violently in the face, knocking her to the ground.

"You're a monster…" she whispered, struggling to her feet and the sword in her hands

"You're quite resilient, I must say. Perhaps the stories about your race are true after all," he sneered.

He continued attacking from a distance, relishing the fact that he didn't even need to exert himself to torment her. However, with each assault, Carolina grew more skilled. Bit by bit, she severed the chain, fragment by fragment. Seeing this, Herman wasted no time. He freed the chain from his right arm, sending it to coil around her, catching her off guard and binding her tightly.

"Where did you learn to handle a sword so well?" he asked, approaching her with curiosity. "Is it a talent from your race?" He lifted her into the air, exactly as he had done to Armand earlier.

"I... I'm a Primissian, just like anyone else here," she managed to say, her breath short. "I have no race or species different from yours..." She spat in his face, her gaze locked on him.

He responded with a slap so violent that blood trickled from her mouth.

"I forbid you to speak such nonsense, White Wick. Your life is worthless to me now, but you are one of those who humiliated me and tarnished my name tonight. And you're going to pay the price."

Despite the pain, she didn't avert her eyes. There was a determination in her gaze that Herman hadn't expected. She planted a foot against him, trapping him beneath the chains that wrapped around his torso. She then used the opening she had created to thrust the orange sword into it. She pushed against the chains with all her remaining strength, hoping to break them, but her position was too awkward, too impractical. Moreover, the sword's glow began to fade, as Armand was no longer there.

"What do you hope to achieve, girl ?" he mocked, a cruel smile distorting his face. "With the pathetic strength you have left, you think you can break my chains?"

"It's strange, though... why isn't your strength being absorbed? Could it be the lack of magic... or the seal of your race?"

As he pondered this, a slow, heavy sound of footsteps echoed behind him. He turned his head over his shoulder and let out a nervous laugh when he saw Bojan, staggering, barely able to stand.

"Let her go, bastard."

"That willpower... it's fascinating. Why don't you just die already?" he retorted. "I didn't think the warriors of Aruba were this resilient."

Behind him, a new chain materialized, smaller and weakened by the lack of magic, but its tip was sharpened to a deadly point. Bojan stood still, unable to defend himself. He had no strength left, only the will to protect the one he considered a daughter.

Without hesitation, the chain lashed out, and in a fraction of a second, it impaled him, piercing through his chest. Carolina's eyes widened in horror as she watched the scene, helpless.

"Bojan!" she screamed with all her might, her voice breaking with despair.

End of Chapter 21.