Chapter 33
The sounds of battle echoed around52Please respect copyright.PENANA6eSsZk42Al
him, but Vander kept running. He didn’t know about Humi’s abilities in a fight,52Please respect copyright.PENANAESNjJXiGgv
but it seemed as though he was holding on. He couldn’t help, but wonder if the52Please respect copyright.PENANAcfEfBRsYWy
priest knew something like this was going to happen tonight which was why he52Please respect copyright.PENANAZyU1IE6kIP
was prepared or did he bring the assassin to the man’s doorstep? More answers52Please respect copyright.PENANA07IBfVmjUV
and no questions. However, his only goal right now was to get back to the52Please respect copyright.PENANAMlGh1htnA0
safety of the warehouse, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t send Humi some help.
“Assassin at Humjir’s temple!”52Please respect copyright.PENANAsOBQjDEPA7
Vander shouted. He put a scared expression on his face, which wasn’t difficult52Please respect copyright.PENANASYVYnFfpPQ
because he was scared, as he ran past the guards. Shea must have been a blur52Please respect copyright.PENANA17tvC9XA62
because they didn’t notice him. “Help, Humi’s in danger help!”
“Go to the temple!” A guard52Please respect copyright.PENANArGK73bDXle
shouted. He turned to get Vander’s attention, but he had already slipped down a52Please respect copyright.PENANAiOPVbElj4O
side street and was gone from sight. An alarm went out causing more and more52Please respect copyright.PENANAoPUkYtvdZe
guards to leave their posts to head towards the source. The attention made it52Please respect copyright.PENANAOFGsGwtSPT
inadvertently easy for him to slip through the district gates.
He didn’t stop running until he52Please respect copyright.PENANACAasRC0C5t
reached the Orange Fox. Despite badly needing to rest, he knew he had been gone52Please respect copyright.PENANApP5l41HkY3
for too long and eventually Ross’ two protectors would be in his room soon if52Please respect copyright.PENANAl1ulYIid7C
they hadn’t been already. He climbed up the drainage pipe as Shea jumped nimbly52Please respect copyright.PENANAEkuoG7Rsw0
on the fence then into the room. He quickly stripped off his nighttime outfit,52Please respect copyright.PENANAomuuy7dr2v
changing into loose pants and shirt. He carefully placed the black book in the52Please respect copyright.PENANAdcgQrWnaUa
hiding spot along with the vial. Once he and Shea were alone, he would have to52Please respect copyright.PENANAWzFQZgr8YS
see what that was about.
As soon as he settled into bed and52Please respect copyright.PENANAhMbvNQs5AP
closed his eyes, there was a knock on the door. Pretending to awaken, he let52Please respect copyright.PENANA7MhjeWCexT
out a loud groan as he stumbled from the bed then shuffled towards the door.52Please respect copyright.PENANAfIy8WjAPtr
Right and Left were standing there with the bartender and a different girl from52Please respect copyright.PENANAUQCV1C75Nw
last time. This one looked young, younger than she had any right to be.
“What’s this?” Vander growled, not52Please respect copyright.PENANAiaY1D9OyrZ
even bothering to hide his annoyance.
“A gift from Ross.” Left smirked.52Please respect copyright.PENANA8KxJvHZGUr
“He wants you to break this one in for the others.”
“I think not.” Vander noticed the52Please respect copyright.PENANAnNwJ091AoB
disappointment on the young girl’s face. “How old are you?” he asked her.
“Fourteen.” she muttered. She52Please respect copyright.PENANAEmTJqGzYNg
looked down at her feet. At least the blonde woman had the presence of mind to52Please respect copyright.PENANAsKMJS91nZf
be disgusted too.
“Fourteen?” she snapped. “You told52Please respect copyright.PENANAx6cWfAjtcO
me she was sixteen.”
“Age is just-“ Right ate a face52Please respect copyright.PENANAiqMpV2lox1
full of the bartender’s hand.
“She is far too young for52Please respect copyright.PENANAbx6kJ1e4ZZ
something like this.” She snapped. “What the hell is the matter with you.”
“Boss’s orders.” Right stepped52Please respect copyright.PENANAFmreKB01vd
forward raising his hand to strike her, but Vander stepped in.
“That’s enough.” Vander said.52Please respect copyright.PENANAfMVD8NCCHX
“Take her downstairs, give her a different job until she is old enough. Do not52Please respect copyright.PENANAHkUODtrIY9
let anyone touch her or you will have to answer to me.”
“We don’t have to take orders from52Please respect copyright.PENANA1ZfxpIog0H
you.” Left stammered, but he seemed a little fearful as to what Vander could do52Please respect copyright.PENANAM6bZRFmUjB
if he had the mind to.
Vander let out a52Please respect copyright.PENANAs4LGXgQ7lO
mental order to Shea who walked up behind him growling, teeth bared. The two52Please respect copyright.PENANAym0vvymWDZ
guards blanched as they looked at her before facing Vander and nodding their52Please respect copyright.PENANAIrJyLj2g8m
heads. He thought he saw a sigh of relief escape the young woman’s body.
“As for you,”52Please respect copyright.PENANA7eT0iXI9VH
Vander turned towards the blonde. “I don’t need you tonight. I’m tired so I’m52Please respect copyright.PENANA6aALlZ7CcC
just going to sleep.”
“Alright,” she52Please respect copyright.PENANADq6pUHLn7L
grinned giving him a sly wink. She leaned over to whisper in his ear. “Thank52Please respect copyright.PENANAPE9zi4dxS2
you for that, I’ll treat you special next time.” She ended the promise by52Please respect copyright.PENANAMc38xW1nb0
giving him a quick peck on the cheek. She wrapped her arms around the young52Please respect copyright.PENANAZuGiVnIzRr
lady and walked back down the hall with Left and Right running right behind52Please respect copyright.PENANAqeipfGqTyr
them.
“You humans52Please respect copyright.PENANAyfLELG70Pg
sure are disgusting.” Shea snorted as Vander closed the door behind them.
“You have no52Please respect copyright.PENANA0IpCdKwC1x
idea.” After he was sure everyone was gone, he walked back towards the desk,52Please respect copyright.PENANASTswxLbBxq
taking the vial out, then going to sit on the bed. He stared at it for several52Please respect copyright.PENANAVID3ecyZQz
minutes trying to figure out how to see what was contained within. His first52Please respect copyright.PENANAhNOMgPvufq
instinct was to fill the tub with water then pour it in, but that didn’t seem52Please respect copyright.PENANAzb1rd1L9kQ
right. The only other thing he could do was drink it, but that seemed52Please respect copyright.PENANA0ZsPsp3mVh
dangerous. As if reading his mind, Shea said:
“I’ll watch52Please respect copyright.PENANAlfWctvgRm6
over you.”
“Alright.” Vander52Please respect copyright.PENANAIpclqnI2b7
popped the cork then raised the bottle to his lips. He drank the whole thing52Please respect copyright.PENANARJZsOZTvNK
down and instantly felt drowsy. He placed his head on the pillows then fell52Please respect copyright.PENANAhNI5kKCQiX
asleep.
…
When he awoke,52Please respect copyright.PENANAaEj7y6UY5i
he could taste ash in his mouth. For some reason he was lying on Eluvia’s52Please respect copyright.PENANAzdfXIGjjNK
streets, delirious and drowsy. All around him he could hear battle followed by52Please respect copyright.PENANAurP7fDmWDu
the screams of those cut down. He got to his feet to look around. Eluvia’s52Please respect copyright.PENANA2ZpnHiwPkL
soldiers were fighting a large-scale battle in the middle of Eluvia, whose52Please respect copyright.PENANAWbCBHL36Yl
walls were supposed to be unbreachable. They wore white cloth covering their52Please respect copyright.PENANAjoWYdiv4fF
entire face, except for their eyes, and they wore loose scale mail allowing52Please respect copyright.PENANA39GytdEkZm
them to outmaneuver Eluvia’s heavily armored soldiers. The weapons they used52Please respect copyright.PENANAJj6N1L5xQs
were also foreign to him. They were curved blades, easily snaking their way52Please respect copyright.PENANACamP4ZaZ4t
through the gaps in the armor.
Someone had52Please respect copyright.PENANACkxtis5YJn
set fire to the entire city. Buildings were engulfed in flames as people52Please respect copyright.PENANAW8rYegdn8V
screamed out for help. Those trapped tried to escape then flee but were cut52Please respect copyright.PENANA3YSOBdqDG0
down in the process of doing so. Those who stood there screaming were silenced52Please respect copyright.PENANAV4n16vfbJE
forever. It was a one-sided slaughter and Vander would like nothing more than52Please respect copyright.PENANAqu5IWimHEs
to help, but his body wouldn’t obey his commands. Instead, he drew his sword,52Please respect copyright.PENANASAl4phXFdI
then rushed towards the castle.
He ignored52Please respect copyright.PENANAoRZ856Snye
everyone fighting down in the streets or getting slaughtered because they52Please respect copyright.PENANAOE8HzZOCv2
couldn’t do much other than cry or scream. He ran past the gates that had been52Please respect copyright.PENANA64Hh06RgYU
blown to hell allowing their enemies past the borders into the second ring.52Please respect copyright.PENANABJbtRbKqBb
Some nobles did what they could to protect themselves, but many gathered up any52Please respect copyright.PENANAQlmJAOPzXJ
riches they could find before being torn apart. One female noble had been taken52Please respect copyright.PENANAWrRzUykkmm
by a group of enemies and assaulted on her lawn. As he rushed past, they cut52Please respect copyright.PENANAAmQpQyIUX4
her throat then moved on to the next house.
He came up52Please respect copyright.PENANAxwGFpHJoRl
across a group of enemies who looked shock to see him, but they drew their52Please respect copyright.PENANARTIBKmBRkh
weapons and charged. His body moved on his own. He drew his sword to block the52Please respect copyright.PENANA8V23P1Mxo6
strike from one soldier then stepped aside running another one completely52Please respect copyright.PENANAMIOti49Ldw
through. He removed his weapon to cut the throat of a third who had come up52Please respect copyright.PENANATo7T8p9MB6
behind him. His body was a blur slicing those who attacked him to ribbons. He52Please respect copyright.PENANA27FMFClhEg
didn’t even give them a second look before heading towards the third ring.
The castle52Please respect copyright.PENANAUUCbqLhVnd
gates had been broken. Bodies of soldiers and Blades littered the battlements52Please respect copyright.PENANAijurAB0H3n
and streets. Vander felt a rush of pride as he saw that the dead invaders more52Please respect copyright.PENANANnjOPZSbQh
than doubled the bodies of his former comrades, but that just meant they were52Please respect copyright.PENANAeWgoXMuQtk
met with overwhelming force. They had no chance.
Now he had to52Please respect copyright.PENANABubt8OPR6w
be careful entering the castle. He didn’t know where the enemies were or how52Please respect copyright.PENANAwQw0xybThY
many, but his body wanted him to rush in to find out of those he cared for were52Please respect copyright.PENANAGW9HKWngq8
still alive. Luckily, he knew all the secret passages as well as the smells of52Please respect copyright.PENANAYg7IvXphnm
those he needed to find. So, he slipped down a hallway, pressed a random brick52Please respect copyright.PENANAkppGsUp1IT
on the wall, which pushed back revealing a darkened staircase. Cuvera’s smell52Please respect copyright.PENANANtZCPDglac
filled his nose, so he followed it up the stairwell.
He came out of52Please respect copyright.PENANAIexXD1HLn4
another hallway on the second floor. He didn’t recognize the space, but his52Please respect copyright.PENANAVvfQ9oE6wd
body knew where to go. The smell of blood was strong here which filled him with52Please respect copyright.PENANA8a4DalzXSL
panic. Many smells fused together, but he pieced one of them out: Eliza. He52Please respect copyright.PENANACKiocYSQVF
rushed down the hall and into a room he didn’t even know existed. Inside was a52Please respect copyright.PENANA9Lw758Xp1P
massive table which was covered with blood. Scattered around were members of52Please respect copyright.PENANAzIEVwjDQcT
the council, bloodied and broken. A couple had their eyes completely burned out52Please respect copyright.PENANA31T46xGngu
of their heads. But the most important person was found lying on their back52Please respect copyright.PENANAlyM5rUr0pC
with a hole through their chest. Vander’s heart sank as he saw Eliza lying52Please respect copyright.PENANA4Mu2wqWFLc
there, barely breathing. She looked up at him, confused as to why he was there.52Please respect copyright.PENANALLIRCleq4n
But she broke into a wide smile. Vander felt his body stumble as he dropped52Please respect copyright.PENANAszfHcENYBj
down to pull her body close to him.
It was then52Please respect copyright.PENANAzknIg2PHOZ
that Vander saw matching silver bands on both of their hands. The way she52Please respect copyright.PENANAE4OAFKeGXH
looked up at him with that smile on her face alongside the knot in his chest52Please respect copyright.PENANAyxV4zXnksB
when he realized that she was dying made him dizzy. The two of them had52Please respect copyright.PENANAQ4Gf6miASA
married, but when? Why? They were strangers. How far in the future was this?52Please respect copyright.PENANA3oISlJK7Wq
Vander’s body bent over to kiss her tenderly, but she whispered something in52Please respect copyright.PENANAlDTaPkwE3w
his ear that caused him to stiffen. She promised that it was alright, that he52Please respect copyright.PENANAYFgnP2Rpuw
must go to protect the city. She cupped his cheek, told him that she loved him52Please respect copyright.PENANAOnkjcLpgCh
and always would, before her eyes closed forever.
Vander sat52Please respect copyright.PENANAumjR5rvKl6
there for several minutes before steeling himself. He rose to his feet, took52Please respect copyright.PENANAKwDwKOWNV8
one long look at Eliza, before running from the room. He followed Cuvera’s52Please respect copyright.PENANA5rqMwHINzT
scent towards his room. There the door had been blasted off its hinges leaving52Please respect copyright.PENANACCDn5GwBgX
burn marks all over the frame. Vander drew his sword before stepping inside.
Standing in52Please respect copyright.PENANAXmzGBb3zo4
the center of the room was a tall pillar of light. He could vaguely see a52Please respect copyright.PENANAytYzEo92GM
figure of a man standing inside, but he couldn’t make out who it was. Kiara was52Please respect copyright.PENANAsIZTpSD9hD
draped over the couch, her body badly charred. He could hear Cuvera in the52Please respect copyright.PENANAwf8xQhuPlD
other room gasping for air. His friend was his priority, so he rushed to the52Please respect copyright.PENANATBLgkhUS5f
room ignoring the pillar of light.
He saw his52Please respect copyright.PENANAWY7BYUILWp
friend lying in front of a crib with a sword held in his hand. The other half52Please respect copyright.PENANAGzx901PKfw
of his body was blown apart leaving him on death’s door. Cuvera was happy to52Please respect copyright.PENANAYK7Bv5vdOt
see Vander, but now wasn’t the time for happy reunions. He shouted, but Vander52Please respect copyright.PENANAYX4Jz3X2fY
couldn’t hear the words, but somehow, he knew what was being said
“Save my52Please respect copyright.PENANA9sxgSLN49k
daughter!” Vander rushed towards the crib to see an infant lying there52Please respect copyright.PENANAJg6Ardxi0s
sleeping. Vander quickly scooped her up and ran from the room. He could sense52Please respect copyright.PENANAC31CJCpjHc
Cuvera die just before leaving the castle. It was up to him to raise and52Please respect copyright.PENANADXeG0oVD3j
protect his friend’s legacy. He vowed to return to set things right, but he52Please respect copyright.PENANAlkptGExH6c
would have to wait and bide his time. They would be avenged, every single one52Please respect copyright.PENANAfJsM4NyOgq
of them.
…
Vander woke up52Please respect copyright.PENANATyJrs5ThyJ
covered in sweat. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but his mouth was52Please respect copyright.PENANAj9UYhhvqaa
dry, and his body was sore. Upon noticing his movements, Shea bolted up from52Please respect copyright.PENANANESQ3PL9tE
her spot by the door.
“You’re52Please respect copyright.PENANA5zL5RBesNc
awake!” she exclaimed. “You’ve been asleep for two entire days.”
“Really?” he52Please respect copyright.PENANAYzv9fRk6wB
groaned. “Is there any food? I’m starving.” Shea said that they had brought a52Please respect copyright.PENANAZJULENrxi3
tray a couple of hours ago. It was still there in front of the door. Vander52Please respect copyright.PENANAPOxzrPnHKh
stood up, instantly grabbing the wall until the feeling could make their way52Please respect copyright.PENANASfvXopxIBC
back into his legs. He stumbled towards the door then grabbed the tray. He52Please respect copyright.PENANAQggtmLFUbz
didn’t bother with a fork or knife; he tore right into the steak, thankfully to52Please respect copyright.PENANAKQXdjB7hSD
have something to eat. While he did so, he told Shea what he had seen in the52Please respect copyright.PENANAAN4DPZ1twS
vision.
“Any idea when52Please respect copyright.PENANAEheMgAQAeb
that will happen?” He didn’t, but he would begin making plans to make sure52Please respect copyright.PENANAz66V0gpy7K
something like that never came to pass. He would do everything in his power to52Please respect copyright.PENANATYb9IixHLE
protect the Kingdom, no matter what, but for now he would keep this a secret.52Please respect copyright.PENANAY5jwAtlOIs
He didn’t want people to panic so soon after Malcolm’s assassination. However,52Please respect copyright.PENANA7xGFVum3mo
one question still lingered in his mind: what was that pillar of light in the52Please respect copyright.PENANALwMwh8q4B5
center of the room? That would take some time to ascertain.
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As he sat there52Please respect copyright.PENANAWXN9MmFyGr
thinking, he didn’t hear the footsteps coming up to the door. There was a loud52Please respect copyright.PENANAWKJfwPJBav
knock then, it began to open.