Chapter 4: Paths of Blood and Freedom

The air in the grand hall of House Eryx was thick with tension as the remaining clones stood in a loose circle around Asher, the weight of their actions settling upon them like a suffocating cloak. Lord Eryx, the twisted patriarch of their creation, lay dead on the cold marble floor, and yet the battle was far from over. Asher's chest still heaved from the intensity of the fight, his heart heavy with the loss of their brothers—the clones who had fallen in the rebellion. But now, amidst the chaos, the remaining thirteen were forced to face a different challenge: what now?

Asher turned to them, his voice steady but filled with a quiet plea. "We've done it," he began, "We've freed ourselves from his control. Now we can live as we choose, but I believe we should rebuild, together."

There was a brief silence, the weight of his words hanging in the air. Korrin, standing at Asher's right, was the first to speak, his voice low and thoughtful.

"Together?" Korrin echoed, his sharp gaze meeting Asher's. "You mean to live under one roof, once again, like cattle in a pen?"

Asher's brow furrowed in confusion. "I thought that's what we wanted—to be a family, to create a new legacy. To honor those we lost."

Lysar, the calm strategist who had been quietly observing the scene, stepped forward next, his expression unreadable. "It's not that simple, Asher. We are no longer bound by your father's chains, but we are still bound by something greater—our own identities. We were born from his ambition, yes, but each of us has a different path to walk. A different future."

One by one, the clones nodded in agreement. Each of them had tasted freedom, and it was intoxicating. They were no longer soldiers bred for bloodshed, but individuals with their own desires and goals. Asher had been their leader, their guide through the chaos, but the idea of living together under one roof—of remaining under Asher's leadership—was anathema to their newfound independence.

Zarin, the brawler who had never been known for his subtlety, cracked his knuckles, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I didn't fight to be anyone's second-in-command. I fought for the right to make my own decisions. I'm not going to hide in some mansion and pretend to be part of a family. I want to forge my own path."

Asher's heart clenched as he looked at his brothers—the ones who had fought by his side, the ones who had sacrificed their lives for this moment. He knew they had earned their freedom, but the idea of them scattering, each of them carving out their own existence, felt like a betrayal. They had come so far together, and yet now they were being torn apart.

"You don't have to leave," Asher pleaded. "We can find a way to live together. We can rebuild this place—this house—into something more than just a symbol of power. We can be more than what we were made to be."

But the clones, his brothers, were resolute. They had lived too long as extensions of Lord Eryx's ambition, and the idea of continuing under anyone's rule—be it Asher's or another—was too confining. They had tasted autonomy, and they were not willing to return to the cage.

Korrin was the first to break the silence, his voice cold but firm. "You were the leader, Asher. But now it's time for us to lead ourselves. We have to forge our own destinies, separate from the shadows of our creation."

Lysar nodded. "It's time for us to seek our own purpose. We may have been born from a cruel vision, but we're not bound by it. We are free to write our own story."

Asher's heart sank, but he knew deep down that they were right. They were no longer slaves to their father's will. They had earned the right to choose their own fate. And if that meant parting ways, then so be it.

One by one, the clones made their decision. Varek, the silent fighter, who had always been driven by strength, nodded and turned toward the gates. "I'll leave as well. There are lands to the west where my strength can be tested. I'll find my own battles to fight."

Zarin grinned, cracking his knuckles once more. "I've always wanted to see what the world has to offer. I'm heading east. I'll make my name known, take what's mine by force."

Lysar, ever the planner, spoke next. "I'll seek knowledge, power, influence. There are places in the capital where I can make a name for myself—where strategy and cunning rule."

And then, Korrin—the one who had fought by Asher's side from the beginning—spoke his final words. "I'm leaving to carve my own path. There's an Assassin Guild to the north, one that's always looking for skilled individuals. I'll take over. I've got the skill, and I'm not afraid to claim it."

Asher watched them, one by one, turning away from him. Each of them had made their choice, and there was nothing he could do to stop them. The mansion—House Eryx—once a symbol of power and oppression, now felt like an empty shell. It was their legacy, yes, but it was also the tomb of their past.

Korrin's eyes met Asher's one last time before he turned to leave. "Don't think you're the only one capable of leading. We all have our own strengths, Asher. And now, we each have the freedom to use them however we see fit."

And with that, the clones—his brothers—walked away, their silhouettes disappearing into the night. Asher stood alone, his heart heavy with the weight of his decision. He had wanted them to stay, to live together as a family. But now, he understood.

They were no longer a family—they were individuals, each with their own path, their own destiny to shape.

---

Korrin's path took him to the Assassin Guild, an underground organization that thrived on death and silence. The guild, a secretive order of killers, had always been ruthless, a shadow in the world of power and politics. When Korrin arrived, the guild leaders were skeptical of his claim to power, but Korrin's reputation for brutal efficiency quickly turned their doubt into fear.

The guild's grand hall was filled with whispers and intrigue, the scent of blood and betrayal thick in the air. Korrin, unrelenting and cold as ever, made his way through the ranks, his daggers flashing with deadly precision. One by one, he slaughtered the leaders of the guild—men and women who had held power for decades, their lives extinguished in an instant.

He didn't just kill them; he claimed their power. By the time he stood in the guild's inner sanctum, drenched in blood, Korrin was the undisputed leader. The Assassin Guild was his, and the world would soon learn that Korrin—once just another clone—had become a force of nature, a shadow in the world of politics and power.

But even in the face of victory, Korrin knew this was just the beginning. The world was vast, and his ambitions stretched far beyond the Assassin Guild. The clones had chosen their paths, but Korrin was just one of many. The journey for power had only just begun.

And as for Asher? He was left alone to watch the echoes of his past scatter to the winds. What the future held for him, he could not say. But he knew one thing: he would no longer be shackled by the legacy of House Eryx. He would forge his own path—and the world would tremble.