บท 222: Broken Promises

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"No!!!"

However, Rast couldn't hear the words; a ringing filled his ears, and his body felt paralyzed with fear and frustration.

He strained to move, to cut through the crowd and save Arnulp, but his limbs felt heavy and unresponsive.

The realization that he was powerless to intervene washed over him, a cold dread settling in his chest as he watched the scene unfold helplessly.

A hooded executioner stood nearby, raising a gleaming sword high above his head, the blade catching the light and sending shivers through those watching.

The executioner's muscles tensed, and a hush fell over the crowd.

As the sword descended in a swift, merciless arc, time seemed to slow.

The blade whistled through the air, a deadly blur aimed at Arnulp's neck.

The crowd collectively held their breath, the silence broken only by the distant cawing of crows and the faint rustle of leaves in the wind.