In the dimly lit underground complex, faint footsteps echoed through the air. The feeble light emanating from the sporadically placed torches was revealing glimpses of the dark corridors. The oppressive atmosphere was thick with an unbearable stench—a noxious blend of sweat, blood, excrement, and mold. The chilling coldness further added to the grim ambiance.

Some cells were vacant, while others held multiple prisoners, creating a cramped and suffocating environment. However, the king chose a cell occupied by only one person, secluded from the rest as it was on the very far end of the corridor. Smenkhkare, his face obscured in the shadows, stopped by the iron bars enclosing that ‘room’.

His voice carried through the darkness, the outline of his regal robes discernible against the backdrop.

"Malik Soltani," he called out the name of the man within.

Former captain of the royal guard, Malik Soltani, was shackled to the stone wall, his legs dangling lifelessly. His face remained barely visible amidst the heavy shadows, but the ruler had a vivid image in his mind of the man's current state—a ghastly sight marked by a complete drenching of blood and swollen eyes, lips, and cheeks. It was the aftermath of the relentless beating inflicted upon him by the investigators during the harrowing interrogation process.

Days of excruciating torture had stripped the once noble warrior of his dignity.

Though on the verge of unconsciousness, Malik strained to lift his head, his eyes meeting the gaze of the familiar voice he recognized so well.

"M-my... King," he managed to utter.

His lips quivered with unspoken words, the weight of his injuries impeding his speech. Smenkhkare, displaying unusual patience, silently urged the prisoner to find the strength to convey his thoughts.

"I d-didn't..." Malik's voice trembled weakly, his breaths uneven and labored.

"You didn't betray me? You had no involvement in the murder of my children?" the ruler inquired, his tone surprisingly serene, as if discussing matters concerning strangers rather than his own flesh and blood. "I know you didn't. I knew it from the very beginning," Smenkhkare assured calmly. "I also realized that the orchestration of such a well-executed plot within such a short span of time was implausible. After all, I had never publicly announced Halim's decision to participate in Mubarazat Muqadasa. People only discovered it when the caravan departed. Either there is a traitor within the royal court, collaborating with the orchestrators of this ambush, or that individual is the mastermind behind it all. Despite this knowledge, I had to remain silent, uncertain of whom to trust. But now, I have you, and with that, an opportunity to employ your services," the king concluded enigmatically. „But first, let me apologize for what was done to you. I had to keep the facade. You were nothing but loyal to me, and I hope you stay this way, The fate of the kingdom might depend on it. I count on your honor and love for Exalos.”

Pausing for a moment, he allowed Malik Soltani an opportunity to respond. However, the man's weakened state rendered him incapable of doing so.

"I received a letter from the pirate king himself. He has Hallel. She was kidnapped. He wants to negotiate, and he asked me to send my most trustworthy man. He says he doesn't have ill intentions and is willing to return my daughter, but I don't trust him," Smenkhkare revealed.

His voice echoed through the dimly lit chamber as he divulged the grave news. Malik Soltani, the former captain of the royal guard, hung weakly from the chains, barely able to react to the king's words.

"Mamun wants to go and meet with him, to free the princess, but I'm sending somebody with more experience in the matters of diplomacy. Besides, I need the archmage to investigate the place of the ambush. He might see tracks nobody else will," Smenkhkare continued, revealing his plans.

The air grew tense as the weight of the situation settled upon the knight. Smenkhkare paused again, his gaze falling upon the tortured figure before him, awaiting some sort of response that didn't come from the exhausted prisoner.

"Malik Soltani... I need you to die for me. I need you to be killed. I also need you to be reborn as a new person," the king declared with a resolute tone. "You will travel in disguise on the same ship as my diplomatic envoy, and you will do everything to free Hallel and bring her back. If this can be resolved with money, so be it, but if the pirate king is lying and wants to use my daughter to bring my kingdom down, then you will have to rescue her. This might be a suicide mission, but I can't stay and do nothing. I might pretend to play their game, but I'm playing my own."

A mix of determination and desperation filled the room as the king's plan was set into motion. Malik Soltani summoned all his remaining strength to respond, despite his weakened state. "M-my K-king... Y-yo-your w-si-wish i-is... my co-co-mmand," he stuttered, pledging his loyalty even in his dire condition.

"I knew I could count on you," the king acknowledged, his voice filled with gratitude and respect. "You will be executed tomorrow, officially. Your lifeless body will be displayed at the front gate of Sah'mat for all to see, but that won't be the true you. I will handle everything personally. From this point forward, you are no longer my sword. You are my blade in the darkness. Farewell, Malik Soltani. You were a valiant soldier. Welcome, Sa'di Najjar, my blade in the darkness," Smenkhkare concluded, turning away and departing.

He knew that no further words were necessary. Every piece had been set on the chessboard, and now the fate of Hallel rested in the hands of the greatest swordmaster in Exalos.

"S-Sa'di N-Najjar..." Malik Soltani muttered, his voice fading as he struggled to maintain consciousness. Though his tongue and lips felt numb, he fought with all his might to repeat those words over and over before finally succumbing to complete unconsciousness.

The following day, a body identical to his, bearing the same wounds, was displayed, hanging from chains in front of Sah'mat's grand city gate. A large crowd gathered, obstructing the entrance, their eyes fixed on the spectacle as soldiers executed the man they had always been told to admire. Many among the onlookers felt a deep sense of reverence, while an underlying tension permeated the atmosphere. Murmurs spread among the citizens, whispering tales that King Smenkhkare, much like his kidnapped daughter Hallel, had succumbed to madness.

Word of this rumor swiftly traveled from mouth to mouth, spreading like wildfire.

On that same day, Sa'di Najjar, the son of a local fisherman, was brought back to his humble abode after enduring a brutal assault and robbery in a dimly lit alleyway.