Chapter 40
Vander rushed out from behind the tree15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhC4WqUXy9t
and immediately rolled to the ground as two arrows embedded themselves in the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwciv53KZO
dirt right where he had been standing. Despite being assassins and spies, it15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgp7fPy8aRr
seemed as though the Green Serpents were crack shots with the bow, but he15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6dUIPBgio
decided to see what would happen when they faced someone who was expecting15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo64kJZwoQc
them. He scooped up a couple of rocks from off the ground and palmed them as he15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LZx0EkRH2
charged his enemies.
More15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPVTBCMXSj
arrows were thrown at him, but it seemed as though they were drawn quickly15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95jOSrK2xn
without much aim. Some whizzed over his head while others got stuck in the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnnL0bXhiWz
ground a few feet in front of him. One came dangerously close to him, but he15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWG7zedVum
smacked it away with his sword. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted some15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbUNJbz4ta
movement. Taking quick aim, he threw a rock hitting a Serpent’s shooting hand.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemuTZKIVCt
With a cry of pain, he dropped the bow, but drew a knife instead.
“I’ll15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRzikjSlry
gut you.” He snarled and rushed him with the dagger poised low. Vander stepped15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyn6vWd0c7Z
back as the dagger was thrusted forward. He grabbed the serpent’s arm and15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgU7rpdpHx
yanked the poor man off his feet before slamming his palm into the guy’s nose.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuz6kZQPvI
Blood spurted as his nose broke and embedded itself into the brain, killing him15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPiUBnJTx3i
instantly. He quickly lifted the body up as two arrows hit him in the back. He15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1T3KXceQ0o
rushed forward using the freshly made corpse as protection until he could see15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlcclgqzsq
who he was looking for: three Serpents standing in front of him.
Unlike15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbOynbg6IS
the one he had just killed, these three looked like veterans. They had deep15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdRN1OXiVM
green face paint and wore outfits that helped them blend into their15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNvafLME0N
surroundings. There was a hardened look in their eyes as they stared at him.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPzfDmBK9P
Knowing their bows would be useless if close combat, they lowered them to the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeviqo3AVVI
ground then removed their quivers. Each one removed a large knife from the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFvWV0c3Bp
sheathe strapped to their backs.
“You15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5z4yp0rCwO
might be a Blade, but you aren’t a match for all three of us.” One of them15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsEC2xaVSs
growled. As if practiced, they spread out keeping Vander between them. From15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIeWuGMkaJj
here he could tell that the knives were poisoned, one wayward scratch would15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWog6UKt7JL
send him to the afterlife, but he couldn’t stay here as he was. That was just15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzk7xpd2PRM
asking to be killed.
Vander15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLkktyd6vF
threw the dead serpent at the one in front of him. As he fell scream in a15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84UTpWRnuz
tangle of bodies, Vander went to the left to handle the one there. He slashed15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALwzXxyfC6
with his sword, but the serpent was nimble. He rolled over the sword strike,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4F0LeRse8o
landing on his feet. He stabbed with the daggers, but Vander grabbed the wrist,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpPg5j4igW
guiding it away from him. He kicked out the back of the leg sending the Serpent15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83jTrZmKn8
to the ground. As he fell, he brought his boot up catching Vander in the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqCk0J5v9d
stomach and sending him flying onto his back. He rolled and brought his sword15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1miDH9KcY
up in time to block the second serpent’s daggers. He pushed him stumbling15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS653L7RfAQ
sideways then scrambled to his feet. Before the serpent could adjust, Vander15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtuHabSZ7u
slashed his back open with his sword.
Blood15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡToxHwQUe4E
sprayed as the man stumbled and fell to the ground. There was no time to check15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Hki2zOpPL
to make sure he was dead as another was on him. The man was a whirlwind with15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3t3bvNjVY
his daggers, spinning, slashing, and stabbing. The dagger cut his pants,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgevGPwq6vj
jacket, and shirt, but luckily it wasn’t deep enough to draw blood, but soon15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRknXwdcRE
enough he could get past his guard. He wanted to keep one alive for15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUL3oBQ47E0
interrogation, but that didn’t seem like it would be likely. So, he waited for15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvcH4KWJZf
a brief opening before cutting down with the sword. With a scream, one of the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJchitIu30x
serpents’ hands hit the ground in a bloody heap. Before he could scream more,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW983waT3Iv
Vander cut his throat.
“Die!” The serpent who had been15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgIOmIU2Nw
tangled up jumped from behind him. Panic raced in Vander’s chest. He had15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLyErZa8SCF
forgotten about him and now it was too late for him to protect himself as the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZpC6TwFRd
daggers raced towards his throat. Acting on instinct, he lunged underneath the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoz3Mkue8u
daggers grabbing the serpent around the waist bringing them both to the ground.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJV5LfXU8U1
Vander’s fingers turned to claws as he tore out the man’s throat.
He could feel the demon clawing15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM82eiY3hoN
closer to the surface. It wanted out, a way to release its aggressions, but now15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLJc9IJ5Vo
was not the time. Vander bit down on the impulse shoving the beast back into15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1MpJczeRfz
the recesses of his soul. Soon, but not now. He had to get Kiara and Eliza back15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpzwEdAI0B
first then all hell could break loose.
Vander spent some time going15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdePcoed0UR
through the pockets of the dead serpents to see if they had left behind any15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCTozaWYig
tools for him to use. He found several poisoned knives and needles, but the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXiMDgd8xdX
rest were weapons that would be too much for him to carry so he discarded them.
Before leaving15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhVASqvVyLB
the area, he dragged Briar and Forest’s bodies back towards the road. He never15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJEdo1Taeaw
should have brought them here. This was his penance and his alone. Now they15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMkmPmlenI
were dead. He would have to carry that burden, but he swore he would make the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Bf6sX0eM2
Serpents, and Eve, pay for what they had done.
He remembered the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sywZPqRpi
village from his travels across the country. He knew that it would be heavily15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQdBN5U14C
fortified, especially now that the challenge had been issues towards him to get15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmQ9HWB7HH
the queen back. He would have to come prepared. So, he scooped up a bow along with15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMASEe5eDz
a quiver of arrows. They would know he was there, but only after some of them15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QRZNL4LbD
had died.
The sun was15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0LBba7C49
beginning to rise when he spotted the walls through the forest. The village was15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXag8zYYi00
aptly named because it bordered the forest. This was a hunting village, taking15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kSe4sijUH
out small game and deer to feed everyone. He wasn’t quite sure when the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJ7cTEigMz
Serpents moved in, but it must have been recently as they have had no reports15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJkIKoASSK
of the village being under attack.
As he looked at15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡduXIZGWzyQ
the front gate, he noticed several men wearing green cloaks and talking amongst15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnq2Zx84Ze7
themselves. Without caring about who they were, Vander notched an arrow to his15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTL1aMWwIyN
bow, took aim, then fired. The arrow took a guard in the throat and before the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbaCzNSw7Oa
others could react, several more arrows flew into parts of their body. One took15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5KSVDLRmk
an arrow in the shoulder, while the third took one through the knee. Both went15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkX9X3Ktefe
down screaming, but they weren’t killing shots. It was enough to bring more15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡollH8Vdaa5
Serpents out for him to kill.
They were pouring out of the village15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGCa4rQGBY
now to get vengeance for their fallen comrades. He only had time to take down15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrm267Y7Q7q
two more before the rest were on him. He tossed aside the bow and quiver and15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsVWQ9YQtt
drew his sword to strike against his attackers.
The first one went down with barely15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfUKE6xAgW
any effort. He sidestepped out of the way and ran him through. He blocked a15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2IClkS6p5j
strike from the next one then pushed him aside, but soon he was overpowered by15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPWvHJdqtR
the sheer volume of people. As he raised his sword, one kicked his wrist15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsAoiLVimm
sending it spiraling out of his hand. He was punched in the jaw and knocked to15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblTWyGdch3
the ground. He tried to fight back, but several pinned his arms and pointed a15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOAGaoDvil
sword right at his neck.
“Stop!” Vander heard Eve shout. She15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPE6lGvcZ0w
pushed her way through the group and if he held out any hope that she hadn’t15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMazEQ2L1oi
betrayed them the look in her eyes combined with what she was wearing sealed15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5VKLHg60t
her betrayal in stone.
She wore a sleeveless green shirt15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMXjvosp5u
showing off lean muscles and a massive snake tattoo going down her left arm.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPjfZ7cEEo
Her hair was pulled back but covered with a green hood. She wore two daggers on15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZj0uVU1a1
her belt.
“So, you did betray us.” Vander spat.
“Betray you?” she laughed. “I was15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNEBMUHFbUq
never apart of you.” Now that he got a good look at her, he realized that she15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpDHiUVaWV
had been messing with him from the beginning. She was broader than she looked15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aI7ArS5sB
before, more heavily muscled. She wasn’t sixteen, she was likely someone older15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXptOnvyt3
than he was. It also explained the gaps in the recruits’ skills. She had been15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpGUHRf2Wa
playing them for fools since the very beginning.
“They trusted you,” Vander struggled.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBJa63hptv
“I trusted you.”15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRmY3O8B8S
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“I’ll have to make a visit to15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GIhVT2hy1
whoever your informant is.” She grinned. “He almost ruined everything, but15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50iLtQPsvi
luckily you were so easy to fool. Get him up.” Vander was hauled to his feet by15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy7YIcE2k3S
several strong hands. “We will take what we need from you then I will spend a15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdx886gVDpc
lot more time cutting you to pieces. I’ve always wanted to hear you scream.”
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Maybe, just maybe, Peyton will come15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd4DmXjnPgm
here himself that way he could show everyone that he was innocent. He would15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7xS8bM7c7
have to bide his time and wait, however. Hopefully his reinforcements would15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDeZWQEXjBg
arrive to save them, but he shouldn’t count on it. If Peyton knew they were15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjTLtng6tjX
mobilizing the army he would make it quick. For now, he willed his body to15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKOYD165p6y
relax. However, he wasn’t going to let them get away with it. He and the demon15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcUqdl2nqKl
were going to have a lot of fun before they were killed.
