Chapter 24
Vander hated the rain. It had110Please respect copyright.PENANA32g1tyZLiZ
rained ever since the first night he had fled into the Orange Fox after the110Please respect copyright.PENANAPVacau0N0l
King had been assassinated by Peyton Cranton, but he had taken the fall. He had110Please respect copyright.PENANAj0tf7ZB6pz
been forced into hiding like a rat while the person who had gotten away with110Please respect copyright.PENANA7J5hE9nhHn
lived like a King, manipulating everything around him.
The council wasted no time dubbing110Please respect copyright.PENANAKVe6rIY1Yi
him a criminal and giving him a bounty of five hundred thousand gold coins for110Please respect copyright.PENANA2pvE9oywZ7
his capture. Wanted posters had gone up on every corner and every house within110Please respect copyright.PENANAFyWA45mnJB
the outer ring. He was a pariah in his own city. Within the first few days he110Please respect copyright.PENANAdNCIGcBJzy
had decided that he would take matters into his own hands. He would act and110Please respect copyright.PENANALFm0yiThf7
gather the evidence he needed to clear his name then bring Peyton to justice.110Please respect copyright.PENANA0rrnvXW3g2
Weeks of careful investigation had brought him here, to a single story house110Please respect copyright.PENANAZPZsvYAxg3
close to the Northern District.
Rain splashed110Please respect copyright.PENANAvcRJ0nsSmq
down around him as lightning crackled above. The hairs on his arm rose due to110Please respect copyright.PENANApGIkU1e9rz
the static in the air. Any wrong move could draw attention to where he was110Please respect copyright.PENANAOZgqFuBac6
hiding, and he did not want Rolous to see him. He held his breath while110Please respect copyright.PENANATrPv9ICZ8F
stilling his heartbeat hoping against all odds that he would stay unseen. He110Please respect copyright.PENANAq0GxHCe8ne
watched as people ran for cover, but his eyes were focused on one house where110Please respect copyright.PENANAcGQYOjECt8
his intelligence told him a group of Green Serpents were hiding out. Over the110Please respect copyright.PENANANFVNh5kmAY
past several nights he made a mental note of how many people entered the house110Please respect copyright.PENANATJYFrGOcNE
as well as how many had left. Tonight, must have been a special night because110Please respect copyright.PENANAXeoovMcgFE
ten people had gone into a house where only three would normally fit. It was110Please respect copyright.PENANAcusG5uoW9X
time to move.
The man dropped down from his110Please respect copyright.PENANAC38BiEQkAv
perch, the roof of the house opposite to his target, and landed on the ground110Please respect copyright.PENANARoDJPaLecM
with barely a noise. The shadows clung to him as he crouched then ran his way110Please respect copyright.PENANAgCDuX3HezW
across the street. Luckily it was dark, and no one would be out on the street110Please respect copyright.PENANAEOrXwruPwI
this late at night. He didn’t want to have to ruin some poor soul’s night110Please respect copyright.PENANAhinV026EBO
because he was careless. He ran towards the door then placed his ear against110Please respect copyright.PENANAv4zVu5ZjEi
the hoping to hear what was being said.
“We have new orders from Fang,” a110Please respect copyright.PENANAegIi9bHLoH
woman whispered. She was a few floors down, but with his hearing he had no110Please respect copyright.PENANAH7udNRKL58
problem making out what was being said. He had discovered Fang a couple of110Please respect copyright.PENANAEfeBifBVU7
weeks ago during his first raid, but he didn’t know who they were. However, it110Please respect copyright.PENANACMwZgVThnh
seemed as though they gave the orders to the Serpents in the city. They were110Please respect copyright.PENANAgXzKfj0NQf
the ones he needed to reach to gain any information.
“What are they?” someone asked.
“Seems as though out benefactor110Please respect copyright.PENANANpLuiZZ4EE
has told them that we need to capture the missing Blade, Vander, alive.” She110Please respect copyright.PENANA6zTHV2qqE7
explained. “We only have a couple of weeks. What should we do?”
He listened as they began110Please respect copyright.PENANANnzSpEO0ct
brainstorming all the way they could find Vander. Some of the ideas were crazy.110Please respect copyright.PENANAb0N5H5PPM2
Someone suggested they go door to door and threaten the lives of everyone110Please respect copyright.PENANAwQgk3YdsVp
inside to see if they knew anything. Another mentioned going to visit Julianna110Please respect copyright.PENANASROfxELe4N
since the two of them had been close, she might have an idea where he was110Please respect copyright.PENANAyy8mNA23GY
hiding out. A third mentioned going to Ross and paying him for the information.110Please respect copyright.PENANAaX0hgKxl7K
Unknown to all inside, that was the only way they would be able to find Vander,110Please respect copyright.PENANAbPELbqlapz
but they would never get the chance to find out. He would deal with them right110Please respect copyright.PENANAIPM4MSOnRC
now.
He quickly looked through the110Please respect copyright.PENANAgKUKCsXO2u
cracks to find two guards standing there with their backs to the door. Only110Please respect copyright.PENANAbDTlhgy6F7
novices wouldn’t be outside to guard the door, even if they didn’t want to draw110Please respect copyright.PENANAn5g7BnoX3q
attention to themselves. This was foolish, so he decided to teach them a110Please respect copyright.PENANARBOwZtojL2
lesson.
He carefully walked away from the110Please respect copyright.PENANAnYrpQPR9wH
door then steeled himself as he charged forward. He shoulders check the door110Please respect copyright.PENANAZRygg9CWLk
causing it to fly off its hinges. Normally people would have shattered their110Please respect copyright.PENANAGXlTQ7nyDN
shoulders, but he wasn’t normal. He was blessed with the powers of Unna and the110Please respect copyright.PENANAECrdUUWNAd
demon inside craved blood.
“Intru…” One of the guards shouted110Please respect copyright.PENANApHXSO1nsCO
out, but he didn’t get far. Vander shoved a dagger in his neck silencing him110Please respect copyright.PENANAFSJgwWGSAI
almost immediately. The other guard didn’t have time to draw their sword before110Please respect copyright.PENANABrjv3CXli6
Vander was upon him tearing out his neck with bare hands. As blood dripped down110Please respect copyright.PENANA61jk8mbRAV
from the cartilage, Vander threw it at the next person who came up the stairs110Please respect copyright.PENANA8gaqlc2RAZ
that had been dug through the floor. They cried out as blood splattered their110Please respect copyright.PENANA49sntKUxJC
eyes, but they wouldn’t have the chance to wipe it off. Vander jumped, kicking110Please respect copyright.PENANAr77XGUD7M0
him down the stairs, sending them both into the darkness below.
He landed on the blinded man’s110Please respect copyright.PENANARpIl6Lp9LD
chest. He heard the satisfying crunch as bone shattered, breaking his back. Vander110Please respect copyright.PENANATt7bqWdeLv
heard the heart stop beating as the final breath left the man’s body. Vander110Please respect copyright.PENANALxnjZJVLM1
looked up at the Serpents who looked shocked, but it would wear sooner rather110Please respect copyright.PENANAZfONLyPPdy
than later. He was lucky that they had cornered themselves into a very small110Please respect copyright.PENANAt8BIHlyLqn
room or this would have gone badly.
“Damn it.” The female speaker drew110Please respect copyright.PENANAXOBUV73OTT
her sword. “It’s him. Don’t just stand there, kill him!”
Vander lunged forward grabbing the110Please respect copyright.PENANAcWLEmOrYS0
closest person’s face then slamming them against the wall. He quickly removed110Please respect copyright.PENANAtI1cHMZ7ru
his dagger, gave three quick stabs in his chest, before tossing him into110Please respect copyright.PENANAH1qzUuYzrD
someone else. The two bodies collided then fell onto the ground. He ducked as110Please respect copyright.PENANAQjo9yblmfe
the female swung her sword at his head. The sword collided with a wooden shelf,110Please respect copyright.PENANAD16RrBA6yw
but she pulled it out rather effortlessly. He jumped forward, but she was110Please respect copyright.PENANAq9XzHthbhc
waiting for him. She dropped the sword then met him head on.
She was stronger than she looked.110Please respect copyright.PENANAoxGhCtl6gS
She grabbed him by the shoulders and started to walk forward. He could feel his110Please respect copyright.PENANAznDoAiPY21
feet dragging backwards. She grinned at him, then taunted him by calling him110Please respect copyright.PENANAMklrcv254o
weak and a pushover. The demon couldn’t stand being belittled so it whispered110Please respect copyright.PENANArVclfKtySK
into Vander’s ear telling him to tear her throat out. He ignored the whisper.110Please respect copyright.PENANATAtFdCu0En
Instead, he grabbed her then pulled her towards him knocking her off balance.110Please respect copyright.PENANAKUOJeE89sR
He fell backwards, bringing his foot up into her stomach, then threw her over110Please respect copyright.PENANAGKVAAemirw
his head. She landed on the man Vander had previously knocked over.
“Bastard.” A sword swung down110Please respect copyright.PENANAFZMpAQGqkr
aiming to split Vander in half. He brought his hands up clapping down on the110Please respect copyright.PENANAPezezKKBH6
weapon. He felt the edge bite into the palms of his hand, but the gift he had110Please respect copyright.PENANAgpjQb3Ufiv
would heal them with minimal scaring. Vander’s leg lashed out at the fingers110Please respect copyright.PENANAzbUh2sYCPj
holding the sword. He heard a satisfying crunch followed by a scream as the man110Please respect copyright.PENANA8VikcKKSG9
stumbled backwards holding his broken fingers.
Vander spun to his feet then swung110Please respect copyright.PENANARslbClLgic
the sword hilt into the man’s jaw. He involuntarily spun around as pieces of110Please respect copyright.PENANAa7VWYcnDOU
teeth flew from his mouth clattering onto the ground. He fell to his knees110Please respect copyright.PENANAFrQbi2doen
clutching his mouth as blood flowed freely between his mangled fingers.
He quickly surveyed the scene110Please respect copyright.PENANAtN60k6BVv2
around him. Two were still trying to get to their feet, four had been killed,110Please respect copyright.PENANA3fdN3cCuyw
and one was out of commission for the time being. That left three unaccounted110Please respect copyright.PENANAVJ5dGKkRic
for. He could see them downstairs, but there was nowhere else they could have110Please respect copyright.PENANAo9of6lXdsw
gone unless there was another hidden path leading out of the house towards the110Please respect copyright.PENANAo3iKeCOWR9
streets of Eluvia. He would have to see where the path led, but first he had to110Please respect copyright.PENANAc1FrAw7D8x
deal with the survivors.
Vander flipped the sword around110Please respect copyright.PENANAU4QZ1JhzWU
catching it out of midair. The man with the broken jaw didn’t put up a fight as110Please respect copyright.PENANA1ljMSg89Jk
he shoved the tip through the man’s neck. Blood gurgled from his mouth as110Please respect copyright.PENANAiBN0f72I0u
saliva and blood blended. Vander kicked the sword free ignoring as his enemy110Please respect copyright.PENANAdyFo023xGO
drowned in his own blood.
The two made it to their feet, but110Please respect copyright.PENANAYVVnedbqHN
they looked nervously at each other as they looked over the carnage surrounding110Please respect copyright.PENANAqhPNieCKg2
them. He had only been down here for a few minutes, but five of them were110Please respect copyright.PENANA6fR5BFR1BR
already dead. It didn’t bode well for them, but they would have been a disgrace110Please respect copyright.PENANAqhHpP1TKcI
to their reputation if they surrendered. The two of them exchanged glances110Please respect copyright.PENANAIX8fAiTwDo
before charging Vander.
He brought his sword up to block a110Please respect copyright.PENANABZ0IgrmQX2
strike then kicked the other person away from him. He lunged to the side making110Please respect copyright.PENANARVbfdpcYRR
sure to keep both of his enemies either next to or in front of each other. They110Please respect copyright.PENANAPmG9Y6A9XP
were hesitant to attack while their partner was on the way, which made his job110Please respect copyright.PENANAoC1xvifpwF
a lot easier. As he blocked another sword strike, he grabbed a dagger from his110Please respect copyright.PENANAB3bMmVO5Py
belt and shoved it through her wrists sticking them together. She dropped the110Please respect copyright.PENANAADE4T3Ndsi
sword as she screamed in pain. He removed the dagger then jammed it through the110Please respect copyright.PENANA27eOzeGW0N
top of her head. Her eyes rolled back as she slumped over, dead.
As the last Serpent screamed,110Please respect copyright.PENANAQccLLc3yg9
Vander spun around and thrust the sword through the space between his arm and110Please respect copyright.PENANAC3aud5wxOv
ribs skewering the Serpent on the Blade. Something wet and sticky hit Vander’s110Please respect copyright.PENANArhnnE9RtWI
back as the body fell into him. Sighing to himself, Vander removed the weapon110Please respect copyright.PENANAZ2QgrXD4ia
from his enemy’s chest and stepped out from underneath him. The body hit the110Please respect copyright.PENANAPECgKUJEM7
ground with a splat. Now that there was no one around him posing a threat to110Please respect copyright.PENANAcH6kNvqdPl
his safety he decided to look around.
Stepping over the fresh bodies, he110Please respect copyright.PENANAKpBN57ADCq
started his search at the table they were hovering around when he entered.110Please respect copyright.PENANAfKveWNkQec
There was a smoothed out scroll lying there that seemed to have been undamaged110Please respect copyright.PENANAwlzY4Sz8mi
despite all the blood and fighting. He carefully picked it up to read the110Please respect copyright.PENANAY56cFBkbDY
contents in the low light of the candles. He wasn’t surprised at all when the110Please respect copyright.PENANAEQxR4mDyHn
contents were just as he overheard. Someone wanted him brought to them alive.110Please respect copyright.PENANAeWMcLYW44e
He could only think of one person, by why alive? Why not dead? It would be110Please respect copyright.PENANAxR9vTssEDj
easier for Peyton to control the narrative that way.
“You should strike first.”110Please respect copyright.PENANAIliPl0kvev
Vander ignored the chill traveling down his spine when the voice whispered in110Please respect copyright.PENANAynwj8x5Q2H
his ear. He could always feel the demon trying to take control, even through110Please respect copyright.PENANAxeIuID4uJY
all the mental barriers he had put up to protect himself, but it was only110Please respect copyright.PENANAEFwfMsuYH7
recently that he could hear him.
“No,” Vander growled. He rolled110Please respect copyright.PENANAjcB8VmJgPh
the paper up before sticking it into the pocket inside of his jacket. “We can’t110Please respect copyright.PENANAxvAwAZZKiG
kill him until I clear my name.”
“Let me take control.”110Please respect copyright.PENANAkTbC4XRgWL
Vander saw the shadows ripple along the wall. Two dark red eyes looked back at110Please respect copyright.PENANAu7tw1NizXw
him. He turned away, suppressing his fear. He couldn’t give the demon any more110Please respect copyright.PENANApijbM50USN
power over him, he had already become so strong.
“Begone.” He swiped at the shadows110Please respect copyright.PENANA8oXqqS1vrb
erasing the eyes from his mind. His head was filled with laughter that slowly110Please respect copyright.PENANAqCRkDRQl1y
faded. It was a promise that the demon would return to take control. It was110Please respect copyright.PENANAgSJgjrSaNg
getting easier to feel tempted ever since he fled, but he had to stay strong110Please respect copyright.PENANAT7o7vZX32c
until he could figure out how to remove him completely.
He took a quick look around but110Please respect copyright.PENANADbXKR7u8Fv
didn’t see anything else worth grabbing. He went upstairs to check there, but110Please respect copyright.PENANAOoLIqo5JF6
he heard footsteps moving around. He froze as he recognized the sounds of heavy110Please respect copyright.PENANAUdWGUktt9A
armor clanging on the wooden floor.
“What the hell happened here?” a110Please respect copyright.PENANAnRjGCLXezg
guard asked.
“I don’t know, but go get help.”110Please respect copyright.PENANAQtKlw7RFHt
Another said. Vander heard him bent down to check the pulses of one of the110Please respect copyright.PENANAEau0V16QU4
guards. “They’re dead. We will have to wait for backup.”
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“Understood.” One guard left while110Please respect copyright.PENANAAOGAhesUkG
the other stayed behind. It wasn’t bravery, it was foolishness. You never knew110Please respect copyright.PENANAFUSnWH2Nu4
if the culprit was still in the house. Someone who could kill at least two110Please respect copyright.PENANAUOdJeeEYU4
people was not someone you want to be alone with. The guard overestimated his110Please respect copyright.PENANACozzBOHC0W
abilities and part of Vander wanted to teach the man some hubris, but he wasn’t110Please respect copyright.PENANA1ztWfrudnT
here for them. As quickly and as quietly as he could he stepped away from the110Please respect copyright.PENANAzGDT9mODgz
stairs and down the tunnel.