NOVEL WEB Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Shadows Over Davian
### Chapter 2: Shadows Over Davian
Aurelius stood at the top of the marble stairway, golden sunlight catching in his hair and the gemstones on his ceremonial coat. Below, the courtyard pulsed with life: rows of Davian knights tightening gauntlets, stablehands loading horses, mages in midnight-blue robes weaving protective enchantments over wagons laden with the promised gold.
He caught his reflection in the polished steel of Sunshatter's blade—now buckled at his hip—and stared for a heartbeat. The youth in the mirror looked regal, almost untouchable, but beneath he still felt the buzz of his former life: swift, analytical, unable to ignore any angle of a situation.
"Are you certain about this, Young Master?" inquired Sir Lucien, his family's most loyal knight. "The bandits are many, ruthless. The ransom—"
Aurelius offered a small, ironic smile. "When you hold all the cards, Sir Lucien, it would be a shame not to play the game."
He mounted a snow-white destrier, cloak billowing as he led the assembled group out of the estate's gates. The countryside passed in a blur—emerald pastures, watchful villagers, the distant haze of Eloria's capital on the horizon. All the while, Aurelius drew upon his system: [Beast Concord] hovered just at the edge of his mind, a sense of latent hunger and curiosity from the wild around him.
As the convoy crested a low hill, a plume of smoke rose from the hamlet below. Screams echoed faintly.
Aurelius signaled halt, hand raised. Knights formed ranks, the town's thatched roofs silhouetted against the flames. Without hesitating, Aurelius tapped into his system: [Absolute Combat Mastery].
Suddenly, every option unfolded before him: routes of approach, magical countermeasures against fire spells, intimidation tactics, the bandit leader's probable position.
He drew Sunshatter. Gold light shimmered over the blade.
"Advance," he commanded, voice unwavering.
They thundered down the slope. Bandits clad in rough leathers spilled from the town's ruined palisade; one fired a magical bolt at Aurelius, but he batted it aside effortlessly. With a flicker, he was at the head of his troops—then inside the melee, sword flashing. Every motion felt preordained: parry, strike, disarm, disable. Knights followed, emboldened by his impossible skill.
In minutes, the bandits were routed. The survivors crawled on hands and knees, begging for mercy—a sight that set the villagers cheering, then falling to their knees before Aurelius.
The bandit leader, a scarred brute with a cruel grin, spat at Aurelius's feet. "Think you're some gilded hero, boy?"
Aurelius regarded him coolly. "I have no interest in heroics. But threatening my people is a cost you cannot afford."
The leader lunged, dagger flashing. Time seemed to slow: Aurelius sidestepped, disarmed him with one motion, and leveled Sunshatter at the man's throat.
He leaned in. "Let this be a lesson," he whispered. "The House of Davian pays what it must—but collects tenfold in return."
The man fainted.
Aurelius straightened, surveying the battered townsfolk. With a gesture, he ordered gold coins handed out as compensation—enough to rebuild twice over. As cheers again erupted, Aurelius felt a strange warmth blooming inside, heavier and more satisfying than any deal closed in his prior life.
He turned to Sir Lucien. "Let's go home."
For the first time in this new world, Aurelius realized: mercy and might, when paired with unshakable resolve, were a currency even greater than gold.
**To be continued...**