Chapter 23
Rain pounded the streets of Eluvia105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiA1kLEzESD
causing its people to run for cover. Thunder rumbled across the sky as bolts of105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmG4lVp4gxm
lightning shot out illuminating the space above the city. Eluvia was in105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIESFm9tlOs
mourning, and it seemed to many that the Deities wept with them, but a select105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWVc89Eljp
few knew the truth. There was a war coming one where both human’s and gods105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpl68xJZIY
would have to choose sides.
It had been three months since the105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsmbe2OiOa
King’s murder and as the city wept a man hunt was underway to chase down the105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmGA8UJZUdN
person many believed responsible while the true culprit stayed safe inside the105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpAFLodcHuK
castle, just biding his time until he could strike. Despite the circumstance,105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHIoJLckEaH
Eluvia needed a new king. Although Cuvera was still in mourning, he bowed his105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOReBGruuk
head accepting the crown and the power that came with it. His new wife, Kiara105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYuTbpcCGS
stood by him, helping him through his pain while others plotted behind his back105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBM7dGRuhVy
to gain power in the wake of this tragedy.
Peyton stood at attention in front105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTaBJsn2cp
of the throne where Cuvera sat. His hair had grown long, his eyes bloodshot,105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡah7xGtUbYi
while his clothing hung loosely from his body. Since the death of his father,105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSbUKgYI24
Cuvera hadn’t done much resting. He was too busy learning to run a country and105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMtJsPdfIp
dealing with intelligence as to where his friend had gone, searching for105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7mEMmvYcL
answers as to why he had killed his father and run away. No matter how hard he105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCuFm31Vzs
tried, he just couldn’t understand. He longed to have a conversation with105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmEclRxs7W
Vander, but he knew that wouldn’t happen outside of a jail cell.
“Any luck?” his voice croaked.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDVmZ3b67B
Peyton’s heart was broken seeing his best friend’s son this way, but despite105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUVKKhrDmz
their plan, he couldn’t tell the young King why things had to happen that way.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbni4MABq0
He wouldn’t understand, Peyton barely understood it himself.
“None.” Peyton shook his head.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8PWo0eZgY
“There have been a few sightings, but when we went to investigate, he was105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimkt7nXGWC
nowhere to be found.”
“Damn it.” Cuvera slammed his hand105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIw974vKam
on the arm rest. “Damn it, damn it, damn it.”
“We will double our efforts.”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh72DmengCm
Peyton said. “If we ask the General’s for help…”
“No,” Cuvera interrupted him. “If105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcA3y7qlmQ4
Vander doesn’t want to be found, no one can find him. The Warden’s need to head105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmOYIEUnyS
back to their posts as do their Generals. This will be an internal matter, Lord105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NBdkxPe4Z
Cranton. We must handle it ourselves.” Kiara walked over, placing a hand on her105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbxv61PmbF
husband’s shoulder.
“Is there anything else Peyton?”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybrE6fCSWE
she asked softly, but the way she looked at him told him he had better end this105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sG9rmqDOo
meeting or there would be hell to pay.
“Just one,” Peyton grimaced. “Have105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFLv0e5oVF
you given any thought as to who you would make Blade Commander? Since Charles’105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMBN1Tjqx9
was forced out, we need someone to…”
“Alexander and the other Captains105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHuuYpAuGb
have it well taken care of.” Kiara interrupted. “We understand that this is an105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5G7EY538fR
important decision, but based on what has already transpired, this is at the105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA81hEAigsz
bottom of our list. Understood?”
“I do.” Peyton bowed his head. “If105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66PPHw5nw3
you will excuse me, I have some things I need to take care of.” He turned105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHTQGlSL20
around shuffling off. His boots made clicking sounds as he walked down the105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYssRSC8jID
cobblestone path and out the door.
As he walked down the dimly lit105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjhRCLPMfD
hall, he could vaguely feel another set of boots walking in time with him. He105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNJOVtMHcL
turned around to see a small, hooded figure wearing loose clothing to hide105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRR5DnfQSE
their true gender. They wore gloves, likely with metal embedded inside, and had105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpW05aDUZRU
two twin daggers strapped to their side.
“Fang,” Peyton greeted. That105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAF4gO7vt0
wasn’t their true name, it was the code name given to the Serpents assassins.
“Councilor.” They spoke. “Why have105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJyFqjpAszI
you summoned me?”
“Because you failed in your105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDB2NKJTAr8
attempt to kill the King and I had to clean up your mess.” Peyton said. “My105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSZ3pbNnb1
master needs Vander, your new task is to bring him to us. Alive.”
“He is a dangerous man,” Fang105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wMGjGl9cV
said, their voice not betraying any emotion. “He already beat us twice; we need105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHYXBbbTvj
more time.”
“My master won’t wait for much105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10k5U79SAO
longer,” Peyton explained. “We only have a couple more weeks before things105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4Mc4DslL9
settle, and we separate. Try and have it done by then, I don’t care about your105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU52CKQ0yP0
methods. Just do it.”
“I understand.” With that, the105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWE6u4LIDaX
assassin stepped into the shadows then disappeared. Peyton let go of the breath105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJQKsJaqFB
he didn’t realize he had been holding. He placed his hand on the wall steeling105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGCwSUMGON
himself for what was going on.
Was this what you wanted Malcolm?105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdd2zUxsQtI
Was this what you had in mind when you want your son and his friend to bear the105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRq4J54ocxW
weight of our choices on their shoulders? Peyton rued the day he had allowed105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPyvZpRKkd
his friend to talk him into such a crazy plan. He wasn’t sure what was going to105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡizH3qvoIwb
happen to him by the end, but his day of reckoning would come. He just hoped105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZyFceZd7D
his penance wouldn’t be difficult.
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He walked towards a window where105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyp4tTtRFGo
he could clearly see the storm brewing over his city. He was safe behind the105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5b5Dm5VxQd
glass, but he was still afraid. He hoped Vander was doing well despite105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYxFGAkajE
everything that had happened. He hopes that one day he will be able to explain105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ632lWIhqKv
himself, but he should plan just in case he met his end beforehand. With a plan105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlz67ovXuph
in mind, he shuffled off towards his office ignoring the sad expression of105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFOsAw8q79
Malcolm in his portrait.
