"I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, IT'S NO JOKE - SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ip47IC9XS
PHASE ONE
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFOgN6AJ8ok
Sitting at his customary position in his library, Fang held that book in his hand. Flipping slowly through the pages, without even staring at them once, Fang's eyes were fixed at the gates of his mansion.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDLJdDCM66
"He's been keeping an eye on you lately", Artena's voice was heard as she walked into the library.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2Tv9pX1cS
"Have you called the maid ?" Fang asked.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mLTR4mJG2
"Yes I have", Artena replied as she arranged the books on the shelves, "and she's on her way."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NDfWf20ex
The maid rushed into the library, bowing before Fang she announced her presence.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAT14nLwHuD
"My calling you is nothing special", Fang said, "I just want you to let your second master - prince Magrez - know that I don't like him placing stalkers around me like he's doing right now."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcsRHOEaFK
The maid swallowed, so she had been caught right from the very start.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgu7zhgJjbw
"I apologize on behalf of his majesty", the maid said.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFa64bzYgQ2
"That makes sense", Fang yawned, "coming from the leader of the prince's royal guard, Verha, I'll accept it"
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡibAPln5SHK
He even knew her identity, Verha felt her ears ring. She wouldn't have considered having any form of dread for a waste like Balkyre Fang, but in these few weeks of spying and watching him, Verha had realized that Balkyre Fang wasn't just an oddball, he was a monster.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCD7S7vOxK
"And that female butler of his ..." Verha sighed as she walked into the orchard to meet the second prince.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxK79HpTKqp
"He was aware all this while your majesty", Verha revealed.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUf18da8zW9
"I already suspected that he was aware. If he wanted, he would have eradicated any form of evidence, like he has always done. You know what that means Verha ?" The prince said.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡntxFG0SuW1
Verha knew quite well.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa04A4JXeau
"You would have ended up like Barzak."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Aya48Wdum
"He has accepted us as allies", the prince continued, "that's why he has kept you alive all this time in order for you to witness what he was capable of doing."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlQ1gIO3zk
"Moreover", Verha said.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZgOMiPYNM
"He is Moon Scythe", Magrez smiled, "Fang being one of the three lords of the underworld belonging to the GOLDEN VEIL, as Moon Scythe, Fang must have connections with him."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUUs1J28nV
"Him", Verha echoed.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdu1AqIoaG6
"Yes", Magrez repeated, "him. And when I say "him" I mean "him"."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22Fyv1Ueaa
"You mean Syna ..."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtQm6fNa8l
"Call that name with respect", Magrez interrupted.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8AL0x4MwXZ
"Sage Synagogue", Verha corrected herself.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslQaRL3INl
"Not just connections", Magrez continued, "Fang might be the real deal."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxCgLKAyzX
"That is, he is ...", Verha concluded.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLmnJSiUZW
"Fang could be", the prince answered, "but I have a feeling that he is."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRQ61fsLb9
Turning around as he walked away, Magrez gave his order.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYmYlrq9jVC
"Pass the message to the king", Magrez said, "that the cave is open."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VCf4UczhG
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpSFJLR693
PHASE TWO
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJXsrVut63
Theonis couldn't contain her rage as she remembered the occurrence of the previous night, the attempt on Fang's life had failed for the second time, with the same incident repeating itself. She had found Barzak waiting in her room half-dead and the only thing he could say, was the same thing Arman and Dartor had said before they died.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHG2cRofov
"Balkyre Fang ... demon ..."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaVEnj7wSf
Theonis pulled at her hair, she had lost a hundred mercenaries - all elites - in that failed operation.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdtgOzbyPA
"Balkyre Fang", Theonis growled, "I'll make sure I have you dead."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WlGRWEhVg
***
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Lc2hkXP4o
"What took your time, Tora ?" Verna asked the woman in a cloak standing behind her.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzn4IfccAJZ
"I came as soon as you ..."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCQnetMYZw
That thud was heard, then the sound of a rolling object followed. The round and rolling object stopped at the foot of a statue revealing the surprised face of Tora who's lips were still moving, with the headless body falling to the ground.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpLGzhinSX
"That's what you get for being a spy", First Sage Maya said, walking out of the shadows.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLX52SDaEnp
"How couldn't I take note !" Verna clenched her fists.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0u2XtHNqk
"Even I didn't ... "
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPsydhxczI
"It's not that", Verna yelled, "it's a puppet."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwl0U8XFAWk
"How can it be ?" First Sage Maya gasped.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaiQq3SMAlf
"It's the blood", Verna squatted beside the pool of blood next to the puppet, dipping a finger into it, she took the reddened finger to her nose then smelt it.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRV7UoBRtj
"If not for my keen sense of smell", Verna revealed, "I wouldn't have noticed it."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvNRyQLAQH
"It's waregoyle blood."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxolgr0vpx
"The puppet must have consumed to blood of waregoyle to make the death more realistic as puppets lack blood. But what this spy didn't know or didn't take into regard, was the fact that there's a stark difference between the smell of vampire and waregoyle blood."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6MqiBLmeD
"We can't let her escape", Maya reminded.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVP8GfZA80
"Of course we can't", Verna's eyes glistened as she fanged out, "the spy must be caught."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMNqQCyB80
***
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvpn1sGaMRd
Her heart beat raced as she flew for her life through the dense forest of the Sage Majors. The puppet wasn't able to find a vampire to consume before it was summoned by Verna, the only choice was the blood of a gargoyle, but it seemed that they had found out as the head of the puppet relayed the message to her a few minutes ago. It was clear that the Sage Majors had already begun their search, and one thing was sure, they weren't only after information, but her life as well.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZ4jkFaNx4
PHASE THREE
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvK8p2QzIF
"Lord Orpha", the being in that cloak bowed to the man who had his back to him and was standing at the balcony of this tower.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFA3E01MNc
"The fissures you sealed have been opened", the being revealed.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLUHGfpEgw
Orpha spun around his heart racing, if not for the mask he was wearing, one could have clearly seen the tension on his face.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zmyskwJgq
"But there was no sign of Secregard's life force around the fissure."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OdRC0ZYFO
"Better", Orpha held himself from sighing, "then who is behind the unsealing ?"
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItu3AyxeFS
"We haven't been able to fish out the culprit and we've confirmed that it's not from the cadres of gods."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGjfZV5hWj
"Then who could it be ?" Orpha probed further.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnvXz9PRrT
"We are not sure", the man said, "but the life force of the one who had unsealed the fissure was found to emanate from the Domain of the Earth Garments and it's the same as the life force which had distorted the Erama, taken the Valtur, harnessed the seven pillars of Ciara and taken the Sword of dark flames."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiMn18bJoA
"Interesting", Orpha mused, "it isn't a god, could it be the SILENCES and FOGS have started causing trouble ?"
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpGjacaX9a
"It probably is", the man replied, "but descent to the lower to domains has become nearly impossible since the existence of Secregard's riddle."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrWW1JAc7Z
"That damn riddle !" Orpha cursed.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXuThiypJa
"Find the culprit", Orpha ordered, "and make his or her life feel like hell."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HwcjIDDj0
"Yes, the First Balance", the man replied, fading into the air.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkn47J2Vfa
"Even after your death Secregard", Orpha clenched his fists, "you still make things difficult for me."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXw0HDbh2Y
***
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiLfVLg4ZP
The rain kept him immersed in his thoughts as he sat on that same chair beside the window in his characteristic manner. Fang took sparing sips from his hot cup of tea as he awaited their arrival.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxj4uPcDnPC
"The second moon is already at it's peak", Fang said to himself.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PiHhgtafw
Looking around the library which was lit by the chandelier hanging from the ceiling, Fang wished Artena was around for him to have someone he could talk to, unfortunately, he had sent her on a very important errand.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLU7HUDdHBU
"Orpha", Fang grinned, "you have guts sending someone to look for me."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cOIQHGzqt
"Master Fang !" The maid beckoned, "You have two guests at the gate of the mansion."
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0vpmbKwKB
"Bring them in", Fang ordered.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxfINwpE20
Seeing the two men alight from the chariot at the gate, Fang smiled, having guessed their identities.
250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2l0dRrButI
"King Vel Nor and Prince Magrez", Fang smiled, "you both have finally arrived."
ns18.221.240.145da2
