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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1z6bc7KXS
"We've managed to stabilize her but, we don't know how long it will last," one of the doctors said.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6prgHWnY8b
"Can I see her?" Cora asked.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkgtoYEzjR
"Go ahead."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ipnYFf84r
She squeezed her grandmother's hand tightly. Her eyes filled up with tears.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOCe5fx1xU
"The Blood King has returned," her grandmother whispered. "The end is near."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimoFLtADmi
"What are you talking about?"
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXRt0H9Ito
"The King of Shadows will not rest until he has found what he is looking for."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHYZMUw3XT
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?
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJ7kTTygUn
"What is he looking for?" Cora asked.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59bozSwnOy
Her grandmother let out a loud laugh. "He'll never find what he's looking for."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEiKhYtHQq5
"I need you to tell me what's going on!" Cora said desperately searching for answers.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9rQUVox8X
"I thought I could protect you by locking him away but I see now that was never the answer."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRAumqKnx1
"What are you saying?"
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJ3CBNuKcU
"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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXaDInRdUC
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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfiOwFeSdlJ
She was going to kill whoever did this!
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQrgEkvbqB
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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdn2wDiYNZd
"Someone's here to see you but I can tell them to leave if you're not up to it," he said.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDrFY2154K
It was probably Dimitri.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujFSAkkS9z
She wiped her tears and stood up. "It's okay I need someone to talk to."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEz3IfGv8b
When she walked down the stairs she was shocked to see Prince Lyon accompanied by two burley men who appeared to be his bodyguards.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupXTAJ0n2H
Cora was so nervous she couldn't speak. The prince of Thessonia was in her house.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjUq47D2hj
"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."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfJpMQ5BkD
"Thank you," was all Cora managed to say.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Cn5L8ka2l
"I brought you some tea," Prince Lyon said raising a cup in the air.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRxBXQ917R
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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOnhvMWTbn
"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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyjz3Bs8SG
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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEBgE6qSUw
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."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLCjLGzUMQe
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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUFn85Go4S
"No! What if someone recognizes you?" is what she said. The last thing Cora needed was one more thing to worry about.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyanVYNsV2Z
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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLn1aVkwQC
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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOKxCZ9sgW
"My grandmother just died how am I supposed to look?" Cora snapped.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabWl3R6Kmb
"I'm sorry I didn't know."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8VcPEQIoI
"It's alright."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eqJTcg5ef
The duo trained in silence until class ended.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ZeyfjpOKI
Then Dimitri finally broke the silence. "I received a request to join the Ruby Python guild yesterday."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8vNFPZ0p4
"Aren't they the second best guild in western Thessonia?" Cora asked as her blue eyes widened with excitement.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7pwN0Kgw2
"Yep. Did you get any requests yet?"
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWrmwp9oOs
"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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGsoynkVvb
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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPti1l72G0
She didn't recognize who caught her until he spoke. "Are you alright, Coraline?"
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJu3NlEsmBA
"Ray?"
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07TKTJmwjX
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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pSvQmwBqP
She was so distracted she didn't notice that he was still holding her.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jndH4nsoG
"I'm okay," she said regaining her footing. "What are you doing here?"
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcg0tBoABuI
"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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknzU09zIpY
"I'm not mad," she said sitting down on the grass. "What do you need?"
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUx4IiYNac
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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RxhmckJSa
"I need you to ask your magic mirror about something."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqreAQ1O7p
"My what?"
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJ8eJ3CRKl
"Your magic mirror. The one that you stare at all day!" He exclaimed gesturing to her pocket.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2eAjtVi0F
"My phone?"
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpErhgU84zw
"Is that what you call it?"
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsxOdZFcYi
Cora let out a sigh. "What would you like to know?"
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWrq1IbIo2
"I want to know if Lily was happy with Rivero."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXTnkfm5xv
The blonde stared down at her phone. "I don't think it can tell me that," She said.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEIfJpGZJM1
He frowned.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtGQcgoG75
"Did you love her?" Cora asked and then immediately regretted it.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuonVQx33r
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."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLFrDTdswO
All Cora could say was. "I'm sorry."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDdsTrGohB
"Don't be."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr04bc3dJlc
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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JGMN384Hc
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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhd0IVe4cUe
"Hey what do you know about the King of Shadows," Cora asked casually.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMQJViCD8b
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."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt78Zcu1uQ7
"Like santa clause."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxh1BAiStke
Ray shrugged. "No one has ever seen him. I don't believe he's real"
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuE9tsLoayB
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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVJcTYyooo
"You look really nice," Cora said.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPkDBLHW5F
"You really think so?" He asked nervously running a hand through his hair.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoojbPEEfp
"Totally."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6YfDXbXSt
The pair enjoyed their lunch together.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnXwblg7a5
As they were cleaning up Zyler came running up to them holding a flyer.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAtNCN5qng
"Cora!" He called out gasping for air.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwyafWfJYH
"What's happening?" Cora asked. She hadn't seen Zyler or Val since the Sorting. She wondered why Zyler would come looking for her.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiyuyfMrRTm
"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!"
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhydeIDPSCN
Cora took the flyer and read it.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdajX5qbfN
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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmL3rADc1Rl
"Val said maybe. Please come with me for old times sake."
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZfqSZcyrW
None of them were qualified for this mission. Cora was surprised Val was considering it.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQMIWKNqDP
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.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYtDliS3Vp
It made her angry.
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kxDudVuwq
"I'm in."
ns18.224.72.117da2
