Eamon's labored breathing filled the small room as I carefully applied healing ointment to his injuries. His arm had been set, but the bruising across his torso told a story of brutal violence.
"You shouldn't have faced them alone," I said, wrapping a clean bandage around his ribcage.
He winced, then managed a weak smile. "It was my duty, Master Knight."
I shook my head, impressed by his loyalty yet troubled by how close he'd come to death. "Asher Lane will pay for this."
"The Lane Family..." Eamon coughed, grimacing with pain. "They're not to be underestimated. Asher is an Inner Strength Master."
This new information settled heavily in my mind. The Lane Family was among Eldoria's most influential clans, with deep connections to both merchant guilds and martial circles. Asher being an Inner Strength Master meant he'd broken through to a cultivation level far beyond most in South City.
