The Night Meeting

Enraged by such audacity, Damien seized the cult member by his neck, nearly suffocating him with his firm grip, determined to extract the truth through sheer force. However, the man's dark eyes suddenly glistened with a bright red flash, and he became a lifeless corpse in Damien's grasp.

The duke's eyes widened in utter bewilderment at this unexpected turn of events. His gaze darted frantically over the rest of the men – all of them, as if following a silent command, jerked their bodies in unison, tiny red sparks flashing through their closed eyelids. They froze in their final movements, succumbing to the impending embrace of death.

Damien lowered the lifeless body to the floor and proceeded to check the others, desperately hoping that at least one had survived. Alas, the miracle did not come to pass – all ten prisoners had succumbed to death. He massaged his throbbing forehead with the back of his left hand, exhaling a disappointed sigh.