Cora ran through the hospital corridors. Several nurses told her to slow down but she couldn't. She didn't stop running until she reached the room her grandmother was staying in.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1i8TO5V0ls
"We've managed to stabilize her but, we don't know how long it will last," one of the doctors said.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVnfcEF4QR
"Can I see her?" Cora asked.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRdsAM06o0
"Go ahead."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZbSJSnQPp2
She squeezed her grandmother's hand tightly. Her eyes filled up with tears.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmrVCQgmrr
"The Blood King has returned," her grandmother whispered. "The end is near."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpCKpIHDOHb
"What are you talking about?"
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQdb3MlyIs
"The King of Shadows will not rest until he has found what he is looking for."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBl9eyxGAXq
Cora had so many questions. How did her grandmother know about the Blood King? How did she know he was no longer trapped? Who is The King of Shadows? Is he the one that's been attacking them?
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc50cRu68fS
"What is he looking for?" Cora asked.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITEJYILXlJ
Her grandmother let out a loud laugh. "He'll never find what he's looking for."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuD0NooAGl
"I need you to tell me what's going on!" Cora said desperately searching for answers.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmiFND1xyA
"I thought I could protect you by locking him away but I see now that was never the answer."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVw5piwMUAX
"What are you saying?"
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoq8Hy2HeJZ
"You're a warrior, it's in your blood. I know you'll be able to stop the Armageddon. I'm counting on you." Her grandmother squeezed Cora's hand tightly until the steady beat on the heart rate monitor slowed to a stop.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhY62GbtulE
Cora couldn't hold back her sobs. This couldn't be happening. She tried to pull herself together but, there was nothing she could possibly do to stop the tears for cascading down.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnkSrMGsBO
She was going to kill whoever did this!
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE474on1QsZ
Cora spent the rest of the day in her room trying to plot her revenge but, she always ended up in tears. Her father knocked on her door.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1NELW3a3X
"Someone's here to see you but I can tell them to leave if you're not up to it," he said.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LzX0147YC
It was probably Dimitri.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mTHu4XMLT
She wiped her tears and stood up. "It's okay I need someone to talk to."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFxtx6BzjM
When she walked down the stairs she was shocked to see Prince Lyon accompanied by two burley men who appeared to be his bodyguards.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPTFrpqOyH
Cora was so nervous she couldn't speak. The prince of Thessonia was in her house.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3KDdJP8CT
"On behalf of the royal family I would like to offer my condolences to the family of Corona Bowman. She was a noble warrior who served the royal family for many years."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45wNR73FCt
"Thank you," was all Cora managed to say.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5LqTksPdW
"I brought you some tea," Prince Lyon said raising a cup in the air.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCvueWaGD2
Cora quickly walked down the last few steps bridging the gap between them. She took the cup from his hands and took a huge gulp. She had been craving tea all day.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3aRrR6uwf
"This must very hard for you I want you to know that you can tell me anything," he said as he placed his hand on hers.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSVBXtzqUZ
Cora could feel herself blushing. Cora wasn't usually the type to get flustered. Why was she blushing? The phone of one of his guards rang. He picked it up, nodded, then whispered something in Lyon's ear.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rdlzcPcL0
He frowned. "I have business to attend to. There's trouble on Mt. Nevado. I hope you understand. Don't worry I'll see you again soon."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkULF4yreE
Cora went to warrior training the next day despite her mother's disapproval. Her grandmother would have wanted her to go. Ray had begged to go with her.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCuP4eWsaQo
"No! What if someone recognizes you?" is what she said. The last thing Cora needed was one more thing to worry about.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡStBsGBbhKR
Cora was exhausted she hadn't had a good night's sleep since before this whole ordeal started and it showed during her training today. She was falling behind. She wasn't going to get offers to join any guilds at this rate.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1b1NMPTk58
Mr. Tréville said something about splitting up into pairs but Cora wasn't really paying attention. Dimitri walked over to her with a smile, his face fell when he came closer. "You look awful," he said.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaknPJFQzpJ
"My grandmother just died how am I supposed to look?" Cora snapped.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDLGDeamkhg
"I'm sorry I didn't know."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3SpXbLS3d
"It's alright."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOIXqFsSEaN
The duo trained in silence until class ended.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRllwys3Xm
Then Dimitri finally broke the silence. "I received a request to join the Ruby Python guild yesterday."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnV6XRAeYDL
"Aren't they the second best guild in western Thessonia?" Cora asked as her blue eyes widened with excitement.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpW2OVenXY
"Yep. Did you get any requests yet?"
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZK3CL4e20
"No," Cora's heart sank she always thought she and Dimitri were on the same level but apparently he was ahead of her. This meant she had to train harder. A guild would notice her eventually.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXbtdLzrdj
Cora began her walk to through the courtyard towards the break room. She hadn't eaten anything today and she felt fatigued because of it. Her vision became blurred. She could feel her consciousness fading. She started to black out until she felt someone catch her.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFWOCYZrVd
She didn't recognize who caught her until he spoke. "Are you alright, Coraline?"
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VRHF506FA
"Ray?"
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9VRhfrn4P
He looked completely unrecognizable. He was wearing a Metallica tank top and ripped jeans. He had cut his hair. It now fell above his eyes. One side was longer than the other. It was easy to tell he did himself. He still had the same red eyes and mischievous grin.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDnlHv3g6l
She was so distracted she didn't notice that he was still holding her.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTJrvNeojg
"I'm okay," she said regaining her footing. "What are you doing here?"
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcizw6imFPa
"Please don't be mad at me. I know you told me not to come here but, I must ask you a favor." He sounded so awkward. Cora found it so hard to believe that this was the Blood King. The person that struck fear in the hearts of everyone who heard his name. Cora wanted to laugh but she didn't.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9B4xBTGQx
"I'm not mad," she said sitting down on the grass. "What do you need?"
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvJyBwWZKQ
He sat down next to her even though his metal made it difficult. That's when Cora noticed he was holding two bags of food from the break room.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLFUm03Rwk
"I need you to ask your magic mirror about something."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXkadheGwU
"My what?"
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevTmrWojzk
"Your magic mirror. The one that you stare at all day!" He exclaimed gesturing to her pocket.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WwaC1ivF8
"My phone?"
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoe2h52tvco
"Is that what you call it?"
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjE13NOhOU8
Cora let out a sigh. "What would you like to know?"
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTC9n7tBhJ
"I want to know if Lily was happy with Rivero."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhtqj2UMBi
The blonde stared down at her phone. "I don't think it can tell me that," She said.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KZ6yeWpPI
He frowned.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdvoaAOLjg
"Did you love her?" Cora asked and then immediately regretted it.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNnwi4J58l
To her surprise he said. "No. I didn't. It was an arranged marriage. I was just going along with my mother's wishes. Lily was never happy with me. On the day we met she told me that I was repulsive. I thought I could make things work between us but I was wrong. I just hope he was good enough for her."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW9PTlf5NZq
All Cora could say was. "I'm sorry."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmPtvE6Osa
"Don't be."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14884FMYUs
He opened up one of the bags. There was a turkey sandwich an apple and a bag of Doritos inside. He examined the bag of Doritos. "How is one supposed to eat this?" He asked.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivW0JoddYH
Cora took the bag from his hands opened it pulled one out and ate it. Ray grabbed one and ate it. He chewed it for a long time. Then he grabbed the bag out of her hands. "I like these very much." He handed her the other bag.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyelZxmDEE
"Hey what do you know about the King of Shadows," Cora asked casually.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKD2jC6a9Dt
Ray laughed. "The King of Shadows is a tale parents tell to children to make them behave. He brings love and wealth for the good and punishes the evil."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHYSTXlrWr
"Like santa clause."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYg324kjFD
Ray shrugged. "No one has ever seen him. I don't believe he's real"
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeZ1nMU814
This didn't make Cora feel any better. Someone or something killed her grandmother and she was going to find them. Ray seemed to be disinterested so she changed the subject.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2YVI1hZsS
"You look really nice," Cora said.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKLmuwhroQ
"You really think so?" He asked nervously running a hand through his hair.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFWkmBVAhW
"Totally."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjIKCTn5RL5
The pair enjoyed their lunch together.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZhbMStzTI
As they were cleaning up Zyler came running up to them holding a flyer.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwo32fwqVFW
"Cora!" He called out gasping for air.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5WfrA3Dp0H
"What's happening?" Cora asked. She hadn't seen Zyler or Val since the Sorting. She wondered why Zyler would come looking for her.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxfCrAksbf
"I'll tell you what happening I'm putting the team back together!" He held up the flyer. "Mount Nevado is being attacked by killer wolves!"
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhiXJI2KRma
Cora took the flyer and read it.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrozbehkIW
Tibicenas attack mountain village. A pack of magical wolves known as Tibicenas have awakened from their hibernation early. No one knows what awoke these creatures but several villagers reported strange activity around their den. The usually timid creatures have begun to attack the people of the village and steal from their food supply. There is a reward of 4,000 Euros to whomever manages to stop them.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabySGay0Ub
"Val said maybe. Please come with me for old times sake."
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNbB3kbCPm
None of them were qualified for this mission. Cora was surprised Val was considering it.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AeiT7cPHg
Cora took a close look at the photograph on the flyer. It was a pack of giant wolves with glowing red eyes and blood stained fur. In the distance she saw a familiar pair of yellow eyes who seemed to be enjoying the bloodshed.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJ2PTF19qs
It made her angry.
351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnicYgTae6
"I'm in."
ns3.143.228.88da2
