Chapter 32
“What do you mean you’ve been53Please respect copyright.PENANASaXdTYLv9N
expecting me?” Vander asked as he climbed the stairs. Shea followed a step53Please respect copyright.PENANAftAyy9PC5y
behind him unwilling to let him be alone with a man she didn’t know.
“It’s as I said.” Humi had a53Please respect copyright.PENANAt7pMQMHhH7
faraway look in his eyes. Humi was a strange man. He had short brown hair and53Please respect copyright.PENANA0Y7g5PeK6E
light blue eyes. He was a portly man, but Vander could feel a strength from him53Please respect copyright.PENANAlxltcDl41b
he couldn’t quite place. He wore a long blue robe, different from the one he53Please respect copyright.PENANAnPrKk6xNlB
wore at the wedding. This one was light, made from simple cloth, with a moon53Please respect copyright.PENANAdwYPTQCq2J
stitched on his chest.
Despite being a53Please respect copyright.PENANADXmwwFatFA
member of Humjir’s temple, Vander didn’t know much about him other than the53Please respect copyright.PENANAfSelzcrzLa
fact that he frequented the castle to talk to the former King, but it was53Please respect copyright.PENANAXK1uCPQsse
always behind closed doors away from prying ears. The wedding was the first53Please respect copyright.PENANAxLylQjm7np
time he had seen Humi in years. There was a smell to him, like Malcolm, yet53Please respect copyright.PENANAwlfANAjnHp
different. However, Vander had difficulty explaining the feeling to himself.
“You can smell53Please respect copyright.PENANAx0sbYFnCIH
the shard of Humjir inside of me, young Unna’tun.” Humi smiled as if reading53Please respect copyright.PENANAzhTTFb0D6I
Vander’s thoughts.
“I thought the gods only had one53Please respect copyright.PENANAzggPnXzmqP
shard at a time?” Vander asked. “I thought Cuvera inherited it when his father53Please respect copyright.PENANAHNBko01aLJ
died.”
“That’s what you’ve been told,53Please respect copyright.PENANAqErBGJXvwd
but, like many things, it’s wrong.” Humi turned around then started to walk53Please respect copyright.PENANAUrZjbPAHTl
deeper into the temple. He didn’t speak to Vander, but Vander knew that he53Please respect copyright.PENANAuHHpyPPLpe
should follow. Only then would he gain the answers he sook.
“Why aren’t you afraid of me like53Please respect copyright.PENANAuR9zs9hivd
everyone else?” Vander asked him. Humi paused for a second but kept walking.
“Because I know you didn’t kill53Please respect copyright.PENANASApzxuFYUW
Malcolm.” He explained. He didn’t share53Please respect copyright.PENANAvw9ZZLwjn2
how he knew, but Vander thought that it had something to do with why he had a53Please respect copyright.PENANAYca7sQcMsV
shard inside of him. Another mystery he wanted solved.
Humi lead them deep into the53Please respect copyright.PENANAdtxelNxc4S
temple. Despite the later hour, Vander expected other acolytes to be here, not53Please respect copyright.PENANA9OQlHUYFnv
just Humi. However, he couldn’t smell or hear anyone else inside. He asked the53Please respect copyright.PENANArPllmMo0c3
priest about it, but Humi kept walking, ignoring the question entirely. He53Please respect copyright.PENANAUtHspDonkE
instructed Shea to keep her wits about her, but to stay close in case they were53Please respect copyright.PENANAQNPJs0FpNm
walking into a trap. Malcolm may have said to trust this man, but Vander53Please respect copyright.PENANAtFIUhdDClk
trusted Peyton and had been betrayed. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.
They were taken down a long53Please respect copyright.PENANAdlqk4ZeyKi
hallway where it looked like portraits of all the past kings and queens were53Please respect copyright.PENANA0itdn9bmZS
placed, however they looked slightly different than what he had seen in the53Please respect copyright.PENANA3fJ07fTPnb
castle. These people had pupilless eyes while their hair had a blue hue to it.53Please respect copyright.PENANAidqNsm3ctt
They must have been previous shards of Humjir, but why did they resemble53Please respect copyright.PENANArFLvQVCxs2
Eluvia’s monarchy? More questions with no answers, they pushed on.
After about ten minutes of53Please respect copyright.PENANAxX9OfNLYLa
walking, they finally came to one of the paths that would lead them to Humjir’s53Please respect copyright.PENANAgK7ae8CRS4
pool. Vander could smell fresh water, something rare within the city walls. The53Please respect copyright.PENANABC10oddyZI
fresh water he had ever smelled was in the middle of the forest, but somehow53Please respect copyright.PENANAu4xjHrKbdV
this was fresher than that. He wondered why that was, but before he could ask,53Please respect copyright.PENANApbiWjE9KzY
Humi turned down the hall beckoning the two of them to follow.
“It is best if we talk here.”53Please respect copyright.PENANAz1YRpWuvN5
Despite being outside, Vander had the sneaking suspicion that they were in an53Please respect copyright.PENANAaoBfOBAuKC
enclosed space, cut off from the rest of the city. The fact that Humi’s voice53Please respect copyright.PENANArMbWIujuoM
didn’t echo when he talked was further proof of that.
“Where is here?” Vander asked. If53Please respect copyright.PENANAKUgQ334J6r
Humi was impressed he had picked up on it he didn’t show it.
“A special area, even for Humjir.”53Please respect copyright.PENANAo4xwsPWUVE
Humi explained. “When he passed down the hall we entered this sacred space.53Please respect copyright.PENANAUleId5m0sS
Only those with a shard, or who are bonded to a shard, may enter.”
“Then what is the pool anyone can53Please respect copyright.PENANAHfN0rvUb2R
enter to worship Humjir?” Vander asked.
“Just that, a pool.” Humi53Please respect copyright.PENANA8gJ1ZsAETU
explained. “A specially crafted pool which we clean daily to make it feel as53Please respect copyright.PENANAOZNtnGVmI4
special as possible, but this is the true space that Humjir himself had created53Please respect copyright.PENANAraGGFf1mhp
a long time ago.”
The pool itself was immaculate.53Please respect copyright.PENANAvbsC384M5S
There were no borders to keep the water in, however, it still stayed within a53Please respect copyright.PENANARO3CNS7Jv4
perfect circle. There was a large rock formation that poured ice blue water53Please respect copyright.PENANA4m3rHqv3QA
into the pool. The area around it had a blueish hue, like it reflected the53Please respect copyright.PENANAVXna4zEpDH
color of the water inside. Vander took a careful step towards the edge to peer53Please respect copyright.PENANAjDMFiaAtY3
into the depths. He saw several large fish swimming around, but the biggest53Please respect copyright.PENANABZKgSSS5cO
surprise was the full moon shining in the depths despite it only being a53Please respect copyright.PENANAoc99JvldQJ
quarter moon in the sky. Vander felt drawn to the pool, but Humi grabbed his53Please respect copyright.PENANADtz7LVPRK7
arm pulling him away.
“Many have lost themselves to the53Please respect copyright.PENANAlVZyOl92rG
depth’s, Vander.” He spoke. “It’s best, especially for you, to stay away.”
“Why?” Vander asked.
“You know the story of Atza’s53Please respect copyright.PENANAbdgOuVfweW
wrath because Humjir used his pool to spy on Unna?” Vander paled as he53Please respect copyright.PENANAo7ZkFxKVnh
remembered that story. He could hear Unna’s laughter in his ears when he read53Please respect copyright.PENANAFXNanD4QIM
about it. “If you peer inside, you could enter her realm and that would be very53Please respect copyright.PENANAZpV2DC4tb3
bad for you.”
“I wouldn’t let that happen.” Shea53Please respect copyright.PENANAsJpONCs9py
growled.
“There wouldn’t be much you could53Please respect copyright.PENANAItA0Z10Yt4
do about it, little shadow beast.” Humi answered. “Yes, I can hear what you53Please respect copyright.PENANAAUTzIpIqgS
say, but that’s only because we are here where my powers are stronger. Now,53Please respect copyright.PENANAPpUOJhyWSY
let’s talk before we run out of time. You’re here because you read Malcolm’s53Please respect copyright.PENANA2Cn3F3Z1yG
note inside the book.” It was a statement not a question, so Vander answered by53Please respect copyright.PENANAD7ZCz0IYHl
nodding his head. “Where is the book now?” Vander pat his chest where the black53Please respect copyright.PENANAFRvxXAouNj
book was sitting in his pocket. “Good, make sure you always keep it on you.53Please respect copyright.PENANAM1THvbRA7s
Don’t let anyone near it unless you can absolutely trust them.”
“I understand, but why all the53Please respect copyright.PENANACfMV2uFtF8
secrecy?”
“That tells me you didn’t read the53Please respect copyright.PENANAldRFmCCSMw
book in it’s entirety, but I supposed that’s alright,” Humi smirked. “You were53Please respect copyright.PENANAl7IksoUPGC
curious about Unna, so you likely read that first to pass the time until you53Please respect copyright.PENANASBWOf4XZc7
came here. But to answer your question, I’ll have to ask one. Have you heard of53Please respect copyright.PENANAYXcIxujvOi
the Black Order?”
“No?” Vander frowned. In his53Please respect copyright.PENANAH3UQ9Tw24Q
entire time as a Blade and holding the shard of Unna, not once had anyone53Please respect copyright.PENANAWprGRfOaBt
mentioned them. “Who are they?”
“Not surprising,” Humi sighed.53Please respect copyright.PENANA8egXzRNkvc
“Their name has changed over the millennia, but they have been around since the53Please respect copyright.PENANACxRM5StlQ4
Great War. They were the human who were on Darkness’s side and vowed to one day53Please respect copyright.PENANA7uA7wtT41R
return her to this realm.”
“Now that you mention it, they53Please respect copyright.PENANA9l5pt26ppO
sound familiar.” Vander explained. “I thought they were eradicated.”
“We thought so too, but for the53Please respect copyright.PENANA2rQLyRcREY
past century we have noticed them appearing all over once again.” Humi said.53Please respect copyright.PENANAk8vGOA0m0k
“We aren’t sure who they are, we have some suspects, but until Malcolm’s53Please respect copyright.PENANATzI38lJg4l
assassination, no solid proof. It appears Peyton could be our link.”
“Why would they kill Malcolm?”53Please respect copyright.PENANArYE1iPBMnm
Vander asked. “He’s the King of the most powerful country, with an equally53Please respect copyright.PENANAbAiOtA4CiU
strong successor. There would be no point on angering us.”
“Ah, but there is a point.” Humi53Please respect copyright.PENANA1MU7m0xg72
smiled. “Malcolm held Humjir’s shard inside of his body. They needed that as53Please respect copyright.PENANA7FvOorqFFZ
part of their plan to awaken the Darkness.” Vander shot him a quizzical glance53Please respect copyright.PENANAmw1FGAhCZ0
causing Humi to sigh. Vander could feel the man’s impatience with him, but he53Please respect copyright.PENANAMn3fQyFepG
couldn’t see what these facts had to do with each other. “They need the shard53Please respect copyright.PENANAuYYaPhy1VP
of each god to unseal her. It was their power that took her out and it will be53Please respect copyright.PENANAc1F4tWrzCx
their power to release her once again.”
“Wait.” Vander frowned. “If that’s53Please respect copyright.PENANAfvGhOkzyb2
the case, then why are shard holders running around amok? Why not place them53Please respect copyright.PENANAyk8IAFAYFK
under guard to protect them?”
“Would you be able to control53Please respect copyright.PENANAyr2aJW4vTs
nobility and keep them confined?” Humi shook his head. “It was attempted many53Please respect copyright.PENANAY9Fpx7rNCn
centuries ago, but it went about as well as could be expected. So, they came up53Please respect copyright.PENANA4pcZMnGOmB
with an agreement. No one would know who the shards are, except for those in53Please respect copyright.PENANAKKoa8LyQ0K
the know. Each stronghold would have two within their walls, however Atza’s53Please respect copyright.PENANAysuTLCXbTM
shard didn’t trust that we could protect her, so she went somewhere else. They53Please respect copyright.PENANAlpF1rStQAX
founded the country of Bricen, and only those in the royal family knew who it53Please respect copyright.PENANA1cIrs7Ha1q
would be.”
“But why would the order act now?”53Please respect copyright.PENANANaLTMlrZap
Vander frowned. He racked his brain to figure out why when the past events came53Please respect copyright.PENANAhJaKi4uSo4
flooding into him. “Because all of the shards are together.”
“Correct.” Humi grimaced. “We are53Please respect copyright.PENANAD00HWVJAv4
all at risk, but no one knows it outside of our little group. Our little safety53Please respect copyright.PENANAL8NgYf37Jm
net ended up dooming us all.”
“Not even the shards know who each53Please respect copyright.PENANAI6wXBzICTL
other are?” Vander asked. “I thought we could all sense each other.”
“No, that’s why you are special53Please respect copyright.PENANASJDhGYh468
and why Peyton likely wanted to ostracize you from everyone else.” Humi placed53Please respect copyright.PENANAMoDjZeSxai
his hand on Vander’s shoulder. “It hasn’t been much of secret when you became53Please respect copyright.PENANAAxVRnd0UGd
Unna’s shard, it hasn’t happened in many, many years and most don’t survive53Please respect copyright.PENANAErhK1gv37P
very long. The fact that you are still alive is testament to your willpower and53Please respect copyright.PENANAIAGxktvNy7
Malcolm’s ability to keep it a secret, but it’s out in the open now. If they53Please respect copyright.PENANA1D67yAT9N2
get ahold of your gifts, it will doom us all.”
“So, what should I do?” Vander53Please respect copyright.PENANAFzp3LjYRfW
asked. “I can’t just abandon my friends and family to go on the run.”
“No, you can’t.” Humi sighed.53Please respect copyright.PENANAS1njsubv8z
“They know who you are and will go to the ends of the earth to find you. All we53Please respect copyright.PENANAnz7rC7kNio
can do is protect those here until they leave, to give us time to think of a53Please respect copyright.PENANA1wTei5xsRd
solution.”
“Can I ask you something else?”53Please respect copyright.PENANA7D5bsKISEM
Vander asked. Humi nodded. “How do the Green Serpents fit into this? I mean,53Please respect copyright.PENANAwQqatC1Zz0
they were the ones who poisoned Malcolm and tried to assassinate me. What is it53Please respect copyright.PENANA55kdis6det
they want?”
“The only thing Malcolm and I53Please respect copyright.PENANAbOyOrn5EQh
could come up with was that they were hired to do a job.” Humi explained. “Lure53Please respect copyright.PENANAA0wH2Uqslg
you out of hiding so they can kill you and part of it worked. Now they must53Please respect copyright.PENANA4rFnDxAYJb
find you, but it looks as though you found them first.”
“Three escaped, but I’m sure they53Please respect copyright.PENANAxLKrlR1anB
have a plan.” Vander explained. “But they have sent someone else after me. I53Please respect copyright.PENANAhQOgzIlPBE
found a note in the house explaining that someone called ‘Fang’, has been sent53Please respect copyright.PENANAMtaU1TJ56i
after me. Have you heard of them?”
“No,” Humi frowned. “But they have53Please respect copyright.PENANAo1ug25DNSV
been especially sent for you, then you need to do a better job of hiding before53Please respect copyright.PENANAERZXfohlbU
they find you.”
“Oh, it’s far too late for that.” Humi53Please respect copyright.PENANAaDnRO2EqnZ
and Vander, startled by the noise, looked up to find a figure squatting on top53Please respect copyright.PENANABBMh9TTUg4
of the fountain.
They were dressed53Please respect copyright.PENANAn2U8ySIdGl
in an all-black uniform that had a greenish hue to it. Vander could tell that53Please respect copyright.PENANA9VGHM8TiJw
the armor was well crafted with metal plating underneath it. The leather53Please respect copyright.PENANAWA5sGtXlqV
vambraces were holding numerous weapons, Vander could smell poison emanating53Please respect copyright.PENANAtBsQwG4tHh
from them, and they had a sword slung across their back. The hood over their53Please respect copyright.PENANAWbdKcS8t2n
face obscured their looks, but despite that, they were still wearing a green53Please respect copyright.PENANAHmMHcZETT6
mask with a serpent painted onto it.
Vander went for53Please respect copyright.PENANAdUryoIN6wb
his sword, but Humi stood in front of him. “It’s not your time.” He whispered.53Please respect copyright.PENANAS6PAMmDDKS
He opened his robe and removed a whip that had been wrapped around his waist.53Please respect copyright.PENANAoQjYX9orNR
“The fact that they got into this sanctuary means Humjir’s power is weakening.53Please respect copyright.PENANAZrFSY02Cqd
It will take time for the shard to take effect in someone new. You must be53Please respect copyright.PENANAv7PAoFZDEo
alive to protect them.”
“I can help you.”53Please respect copyright.PENANA6IoksW7AAc
Vander hissed. Shea grabbed onto his pants to drag him back.
“Protect the53Please respect copyright.PENANAyVDcHejj9A
book!” Humi smiled. “This is not where you die young Vander. You still have53Please respect copyright.PENANATAURB3TPta
plenty to do, please allow me to see my friend in the afterlife knowing I53Please respect copyright.PENANAinMZQvywnw
helped protect our home.”
“Can you take53Please respect copyright.PENANAbs5MSzk2ro
them” Vander hesitated.
“Never fear.”53Please respect copyright.PENANAi8YPh0LklZ
Humi smiled. He cracked the whip as he stared down the assassin. “You’ll have53Please respect copyright.PENANAjZG3cAp2k9
to get through me to get to him.”
“No problem.”53Please respect copyright.PENANAJXBNsuD2Rw
Vander thought he could hear the assassin grinning from behind the mask.
“Take this with53Please respect copyright.PENANAIqC3JvEKg5
you as well.” Humi held out a vial of water towards Vander. “Once you are safe,53Please respect copyright.PENANAPbaBHOeqVE
drink that. Only then will you know what’s at stake.” Vander took the vial then53Please respect copyright.PENANA8bkVbRjxbv
slipped it into his pocket. He opened his mouth to say more, but Shea once again53Please respect copyright.PENANAO5yIRDeAYZ
pulled on his jacket.
53Please respect copyright.PENANAH6j8lOLFTA
53Please respect copyright.PENANAlIxw5wYAG2
53Please respect copyright.PENANAnu924JeL5S
53Please respect copyright.PENANAL4EAVnSQYz
53Please respect copyright.PENANArEud4NBDCx
53Please respect copyright.PENANAq3eV6BEHyC
53Please respect copyright.PENANAxz4GYsT0e1
53Please respect copyright.PENANASDTDw6xMxD
53Please respect copyright.PENANAwlNcsZVDDq
53Please respect copyright.PENANAmpGW7kepMJ
53Please respect copyright.PENANAkoBuRW9AKD
53Please respect copyright.PENANA9XbQFr1zmA
53Please respect copyright.PENANAHPOC1Cyrck
53Please respect copyright.PENANARxAPmrmmBY
53Please respect copyright.PENANA9A6HWOeVWM
53Please respect copyright.PENANAK4iNpR1ZXu
53Please respect copyright.PENANAzTdDFJtM0W
53Please respect copyright.PENANAIg7j6Ef6EK
53Please respect copyright.PENANAYKbkJr4GLY
53Please respect copyright.PENANARq5xTPVJHk
53Please respect copyright.PENANAqrfIsRS1KF
53Please respect copyright.PENANAYV0cw7o5MH
53Please respect copyright.PENANA2u5YinEthI
53Please respect copyright.PENANAD3M5HgZPFK
53Please respect copyright.PENANAAFxFObzSFQ
53Please respect copyright.PENANAt7UM39IVRt
53Please respect copyright.PENANASbswylZpeD
53Please respect copyright.PENANAK4E91DfhTf
53Please respect copyright.PENANA0rA3Xk9wxI
53Please respect copyright.PENANAxmhTacRjYv
53Please respect copyright.PENANAiNjgVYVHGb
53Please respect copyright.PENANAJXAtLSIhp3
53Please respect copyright.PENANAXPlQ07L1AG
53Please respect copyright.PENANAK3ZL6NtkfR
53Please respect copyright.PENANAftXTqctvOO
53Please respect copyright.PENANA1OO4CMqCeJ
53Please respect copyright.PENANAmBQrhM0PfI
53Please respect copyright.PENANANEpRhoU2LD
53Please respect copyright.PENANAefntHn6GAo
53Please respect copyright.PENANAdtiOGyQzRD
53Please respect copyright.PENANAzFs31HWdlT
53Please respect copyright.PENANAONYeorV9wq
53Please respect copyright.PENANASAtaX79MVs
53Please respect copyright.PENANAAgjGuDJB9l
53Please respect copyright.PENANAIMwjE3rZA5
53Please respect copyright.PENANAtT45YYOBil
53Please respect copyright.PENANAsfX2mdQI5t
53Please respect copyright.PENANAj6nojM3Ikz
53Please respect copyright.PENANAjo7Pmz04pb
53Please respect copyright.PENANATaOibQZrbA
53Please respect copyright.PENANAaMHQhBAkyN
53Please respect copyright.PENANAHGujaFTUmh
53Please respect copyright.PENANAN4nkSFioxr
53Please respect copyright.PENANAI7F4vlHkC0
53Please respect copyright.PENANAsxCeFk0cwK
53Please respect copyright.PENANAycbsOO485X
53Please respect copyright.PENANAx3Z6EkwXik
53Please respect copyright.PENANAXi3C5FbcKZ
53Please respect copyright.PENANAe98eyZB0E4
53Please respect copyright.PENANAgcuZ1LLEqn
53Please respect copyright.PENANAu2Z85RYZQC
53Please respect copyright.PENANAZ6WTXWQhDC
53Please respect copyright.PENANAjNdfVhn7UE
53Please respect copyright.PENANAH5BYFKmhgd
53Please respect copyright.PENANAsxyxCo7BdH
53Please respect copyright.PENANAvO5Ap6IWQH
53Please respect copyright.PENANAhQyfiivO0a
53Please respect copyright.PENANAdTQCC63RXT
53Please respect copyright.PENANApTQICcjTWr
53Please respect copyright.PENANAQ3UfxKx52L
53Please respect copyright.PENANAcxVp0CvOGa
53Please respect copyright.PENANA2LnCNekbNS
53Please respect copyright.PENANADHU2ORXhg7
53Please respect copyright.PENANABD0dIRUbyU
53Please respect copyright.PENANAXWb7iAbITr
53Please respect copyright.PENANA6fW9vn13hu
53Please respect copyright.PENANAMdQLRF91ss
53Please respect copyright.PENANAfULIxw3XHu
53Please respect copyright.PENANAAb0wq792t0
53Please respect copyright.PENANAplvqOe5Jpx
53Please respect copyright.PENANAvSDKogCtt1
53Please respect copyright.PENANAiZXfYQiUaU
53Please respect copyright.PENANAN7MZJ8TbHj
53Please respect copyright.PENANAnToRgxvD3p
53Please respect copyright.PENANAns8Fxyat8G
53Please respect copyright.PENANA8W8qrocyWd
53Please respect copyright.PENANA6MOeuiIeAt
53Please respect copyright.PENANAZuer2OG6Ay
53Please respect copyright.PENANAknlBAflSEp
53Please respect copyright.PENANAJBh2ek8rkS
53Please respect copyright.PENANAMWTwQVf9vn
53Please respect copyright.PENANAiMvpRFQXRV
53Please respect copyright.PENANAmqwTLN7Lrc
53Please respect copyright.PENANAFj0mydBphS
53Please respect copyright.PENANAgVQx38RHB3
53Please respect copyright.PENANAUBXErC13sY
53Please respect copyright.PENANAo7IAtdjPHg
53Please respect copyright.PENANAHhxW1AcZYK
53Please respect copyright.PENANAvP30REfGa9
53Please respect copyright.PENANAGnuUaAmXHQ
53Please respect copyright.PENANADqXtAf4ekd
53Please respect copyright.PENANAmRIipWRMo7
53Please respect copyright.PENANArOMTk97IYi
53Please respect copyright.PENANAxTojdL1enx
53Please respect copyright.PENANALGg28rAqAm
53Please respect copyright.PENANAnQ57n1tMko
53Please respect copyright.PENANA9OxOjEXbqu
53Please respect copyright.PENANAaebw8gjoG3
“We must go.”53Please respect copyright.PENANA06m6gsb8yQ
Vander allowed himself to run as this was the only option available to him. He53Please respect copyright.PENANA8CMHaXrMC7
prayed that Humi would survive, but it was unlikely. Humi was right, however,53Please respect copyright.PENANAJE8GeZybyZ
he had to protect the book and the secrets that lay within. If it helped save53Please respect copyright.PENANAUUygH2E58C
this city, he would do whatever he could.