Chapter 24
Vander hated the rain. It had81Please respect copyright.PENANAyIrCOvu8Fm
rained ever since the first night he had fled into the Orange Fox after the81Please respect copyright.PENANAxXddTbo39x
King had been assassinated by Peyton Cranton, but he had taken the fall. He had81Please respect copyright.PENANAAw8nANTi1x
been forced into hiding like a rat while the person who had gotten away with81Please respect copyright.PENANAGMfr0XyeGq
lived like a King, manipulating everything around him.
The council wasted no time dubbing81Please respect copyright.PENANA6PPKvhGtlP
him a criminal and giving him a bounty of five hundred thousand gold coins for81Please respect copyright.PENANADkDHDh6onE
his capture. Wanted posters had gone up on every corner and every house within81Please respect copyright.PENANATtgXJeIO14
the outer ring. He was a pariah in his own city. Within the first few days he81Please respect copyright.PENANAesu6Nkscyp
had decided that he would take matters into his own hands. He would act and81Please respect copyright.PENANAYUxV7Z0GaZ
gather the evidence he needed to clear his name then bring Peyton to justice.81Please respect copyright.PENANAPYWv7JjK1f
Weeks of careful investigation had brought him here, to a single story house81Please respect copyright.PENANAGQp6miqRPP
close to the Northern District.
Rain splashed81Please respect copyright.PENANAjMap9l9uDW
down around him as lightning crackled above. The hairs on his arm rose due to81Please respect copyright.PENANAEUGJ6Ll10X
the static in the air. Any wrong move could draw attention to where he was81Please respect copyright.PENANAeSH8fLanX3
hiding, and he did not want Rolous to see him. He held his breath while81Please respect copyright.PENANAGsqdn4rpx3
stilling his heartbeat hoping against all odds that he would stay unseen. He81Please respect copyright.PENANArbW5LTwRkj
watched as people ran for cover, but his eyes were focused on one house where81Please respect copyright.PENANAhj0eGOFGh5
his intelligence told him a group of Green Serpents were hiding out. Over the81Please respect copyright.PENANAMlMNvpPus4
past several nights he made a mental note of how many people entered the house81Please respect copyright.PENANAZuQAasVSLe
as well as how many had left. Tonight, must have been a special night because81Please respect copyright.PENANAczNMyc5hZR
ten people had gone into a house where only three would normally fit. It was81Please respect copyright.PENANAwbi2Amt7iW
time to move.
The man dropped down from his81Please respect copyright.PENANAL4UhNwKNbt
perch, the roof of the house opposite to his target, and landed on the ground81Please respect copyright.PENANAJqXQ5Weaml
with barely a noise. The shadows clung to him as he crouched then ran his way81Please respect copyright.PENANAvfV0yfNusj
across the street. Luckily it was dark, and no one would be out on the street81Please respect copyright.PENANA22pTucf0XJ
this late at night. He didn’t want to have to ruin some poor soul’s night81Please respect copyright.PENANAG8HQRFbt1X
because he was careless. He ran towards the door then placed his ear against81Please respect copyright.PENANAgwTmX1OuGs
the hoping to hear what was being said.
“We have new orders from Fang,” a81Please respect copyright.PENANA6IN7ZxmdIv
woman whispered. She was a few floors down, but with his hearing he had no81Please respect copyright.PENANAyVyv4b81d5
problem making out what was being said. He had discovered Fang a couple of81Please respect copyright.PENANA3F2b2NAhhd
weeks ago during his first raid, but he didn’t know who they were. However, it81Please respect copyright.PENANA1vD7Sdtq41
seemed as though they gave the orders to the Serpents in the city. They were81Please respect copyright.PENANAkxX5fgChJN
the ones he needed to reach to gain any information.
“What are they?” someone asked.
“Seems as though out benefactor81Please respect copyright.PENANAnqEE2fUYY1
has told them that we need to capture the missing Blade, Vander, alive.” She81Please respect copyright.PENANA3yK5cT1Swf
explained. “We only have a couple of weeks. What should we do?”
He listened as they began81Please respect copyright.PENANACjEnTr12yV
brainstorming all the way they could find Vander. Some of the ideas were crazy.81Please respect copyright.PENANAjMV2BPdbsT
Someone suggested they go door to door and threaten the lives of everyone81Please respect copyright.PENANAsiAsY5ix8Q
inside to see if they knew anything. Another mentioned going to visit Julianna81Please respect copyright.PENANARnClaCFqL3
since the two of them had been close, she might have an idea where he was81Please respect copyright.PENANA7IcLt4LWeS
hiding out. A third mentioned going to Ross and paying him for the information.81Please respect copyright.PENANA1qEfnxgNcS
Unknown to all inside, that was the only way they would be able to find Vander,81Please respect copyright.PENANAnb6DRiXDM8
but they would never get the chance to find out. He would deal with them right81Please respect copyright.PENANA7TOGAh3BQc
now.
He quickly looked through the81Please respect copyright.PENANAxV7N0jIRGe
cracks to find two guards standing there with their backs to the door. Only81Please respect copyright.PENANAL2UM4TGtVq
novices wouldn’t be outside to guard the door, even if they didn’t want to draw81Please respect copyright.PENANAVbyWME2DBn
attention to themselves. This was foolish, so he decided to teach them a81Please respect copyright.PENANAfpK7MQfsqI
lesson.
He carefully walked away from the81Please respect copyright.PENANAVAbWOWA9MX
door then steeled himself as he charged forward. He shoulders check the door81Please respect copyright.PENANA3tSW4Jaj6D
causing it to fly off its hinges. Normally people would have shattered their81Please respect copyright.PENANAxy7vqrWmgU
shoulders, but he wasn’t normal. He was blessed with the powers of Unna and the81Please respect copyright.PENANAZl20jVglql
demon inside craved blood.
“Intru…” One of the guards shouted81Please respect copyright.PENANA1HJ48ThKpl
out, but he didn’t get far. Vander shoved a dagger in his neck silencing him81Please respect copyright.PENANAo6qCzM6mLG
almost immediately. The other guard didn’t have time to draw their sword before81Please respect copyright.PENANACmk3gZTcQ4
Vander was upon him tearing out his neck with bare hands. As blood dripped down81Please respect copyright.PENANAJL0YQRQzbf
from the cartilage, Vander threw it at the next person who came up the stairs81Please respect copyright.PENANAphmFMUES3M
that had been dug through the floor. They cried out as blood splattered their81Please respect copyright.PENANAooJ8z7wFAb
eyes, but they wouldn’t have the chance to wipe it off. Vander jumped, kicking81Please respect copyright.PENANA6Ol0tdaNLf
him down the stairs, sending them both into the darkness below.
He landed on the blinded man’s81Please respect copyright.PENANA6e0OigyNNM
chest. He heard the satisfying crunch as bone shattered, breaking his back. Vander81Please respect copyright.PENANAJ1mKJ8RNBF
heard the heart stop beating as the final breath left the man’s body. Vander81Please respect copyright.PENANApCahXGFeRV
looked up at the Serpents who looked shocked, but it would wear sooner rather81Please respect copyright.PENANACdAoHdCyut
than later. He was lucky that they had cornered themselves into a very small81Please respect copyright.PENANA3UAzmgmIYS
room or this would have gone badly.
“Damn it.” The female speaker drew81Please respect copyright.PENANAupVDjDtrew
her sword. “It’s him. Don’t just stand there, kill him!”
Vander lunged forward grabbing the81Please respect copyright.PENANAkVcvKfsP0m
closest person’s face then slamming them against the wall. He quickly removed81Please respect copyright.PENANAzgp2eX2tCR
his dagger, gave three quick stabs in his chest, before tossing him into81Please respect copyright.PENANAEuEcbO6n8k
someone else. The two bodies collided then fell onto the ground. He ducked as81Please respect copyright.PENANAlOJdN1bCwx
the female swung her sword at his head. The sword collided with a wooden shelf,81Please respect copyright.PENANANLUW5333PE
but she pulled it out rather effortlessly. He jumped forward, but she was81Please respect copyright.PENANA2JqP5fCoI7
waiting for him. She dropped the sword then met him head on.
She was stronger than she looked.81Please respect copyright.PENANAWAjnxoHZIs
She grabbed him by the shoulders and started to walk forward. He could feel his81Please respect copyright.PENANA2rU252Ag1O
feet dragging backwards. She grinned at him, then taunted him by calling him81Please respect copyright.PENANAgG1wHRU6ZL
weak and a pushover. The demon couldn’t stand being belittled so it whispered81Please respect copyright.PENANATZLx2NMGKR
into Vander’s ear telling him to tear her throat out. He ignored the whisper.81Please respect copyright.PENANAG5rG25Ki8r
Instead, he grabbed her then pulled her towards him knocking her off balance.81Please respect copyright.PENANAvYcjChJgiD
He fell backwards, bringing his foot up into her stomach, then threw her over81Please respect copyright.PENANAdsuqnbPzNt
his head. She landed on the man Vander had previously knocked over.
“Bastard.” A sword swung down81Please respect copyright.PENANAjJSlUYaGHm
aiming to split Vander in half. He brought his hands up clapping down on the81Please respect copyright.PENANA8Z7mZMOXTS
weapon. He felt the edge bite into the palms of his hand, but the gift he had81Please respect copyright.PENANAjN0vlYuGYy
would heal them with minimal scaring. Vander’s leg lashed out at the fingers81Please respect copyright.PENANAiqiFaN5f9l
holding the sword. He heard a satisfying crunch followed by a scream as the man81Please respect copyright.PENANAQrjjsP3HKd
stumbled backwards holding his broken fingers.
Vander spun to his feet then swung81Please respect copyright.PENANAWFWSGLWryr
the sword hilt into the man’s jaw. He involuntarily spun around as pieces of81Please respect copyright.PENANAUame1cqkvk
teeth flew from his mouth clattering onto the ground. He fell to his knees81Please respect copyright.PENANAN2vPu2KN1S
clutching his mouth as blood flowed freely between his mangled fingers.
He quickly surveyed the scene81Please respect copyright.PENANAzTr7Crro3P
around him. Two were still trying to get to their feet, four had been killed,81Please respect copyright.PENANAUe6RGChQtu
and one was out of commission for the time being. That left three unaccounted81Please respect copyright.PENANA6XljNFLufA
for. He could see them downstairs, but there was nowhere else they could have81Please respect copyright.PENANAGZRTqxmism
gone unless there was another hidden path leading out of the house towards the81Please respect copyright.PENANAewsRzXykJc
streets of Eluvia. He would have to see where the path led, but first he had to81Please respect copyright.PENANA6yeEYPobz9
deal with the survivors.
Vander flipped the sword around81Please respect copyright.PENANAb2r9udjSpL
catching it out of midair. The man with the broken jaw didn’t put up a fight as81Please respect copyright.PENANAjJ9pChmMuE
he shoved the tip through the man’s neck. Blood gurgled from his mouth as81Please respect copyright.PENANA3OnAXsWIc4
saliva and blood blended. Vander kicked the sword free ignoring as his enemy81Please respect copyright.PENANAomBaC25oD7
drowned in his own blood.
The two made it to their feet, but81Please respect copyright.PENANALOqrH9BR1N
they looked nervously at each other as they looked over the carnage surrounding81Please respect copyright.PENANACQ9pR6Pryv
them. He had only been down here for a few minutes, but five of them were81Please respect copyright.PENANAitvMivoibN
already dead. It didn’t bode well for them, but they would have been a disgrace81Please respect copyright.PENANAEVYoJJzVmb
to their reputation if they surrendered. The two of them exchanged glances81Please respect copyright.PENANAW868uVO1gI
before charging Vander.
He brought his sword up to block a81Please respect copyright.PENANAlHYXpPZ7b2
strike then kicked the other person away from him. He lunged to the side making81Please respect copyright.PENANAEMZ5oAUkAp
sure to keep both of his enemies either next to or in front of each other. They81Please respect copyright.PENANAqmbMR7Hv0C
were hesitant to attack while their partner was on the way, which made his job81Please respect copyright.PENANAjJX1x1Ybfk
a lot easier. As he blocked another sword strike, he grabbed a dagger from his81Please respect copyright.PENANA7yRHhyljqY
belt and shoved it through her wrists sticking them together. She dropped the81Please respect copyright.PENANAXI8gYO2J1T
sword as she screamed in pain. He removed the dagger then jammed it through the81Please respect copyright.PENANAAZAJBVr8H3
top of her head. Her eyes rolled back as she slumped over, dead.
As the last Serpent screamed,81Please respect copyright.PENANAWIf3yTouOT
Vander spun around and thrust the sword through the space between his arm and81Please respect copyright.PENANAXhpb8pubRz
ribs skewering the Serpent on the Blade. Something wet and sticky hit Vander’s81Please respect copyright.PENANAPg5NYQPsxO
back as the body fell into him. Sighing to himself, Vander removed the weapon81Please respect copyright.PENANA1W63hkzKmU
from his enemy’s chest and stepped out from underneath him. The body hit the81Please respect copyright.PENANA1GHAbdiI8D
ground with a splat. Now that there was no one around him posing a threat to81Please respect copyright.PENANAUqCQGH0Np0
his safety he decided to look around.
Stepping over the fresh bodies, he81Please respect copyright.PENANA2J6KGxsBrC
started his search at the table they were hovering around when he entered.81Please respect copyright.PENANACE9RXo3XGm
There was a smoothed out scroll lying there that seemed to have been undamaged81Please respect copyright.PENANAEGt9Y1ckrt
despite all the blood and fighting. He carefully picked it up to read the81Please respect copyright.PENANAYqtErFFKdw
contents in the low light of the candles. He wasn’t surprised at all when the81Please respect copyright.PENANAUmITYSCMLj
contents were just as he overheard. Someone wanted him brought to them alive.81Please respect copyright.PENANA7OzCwBkgCR
He could only think of one person, by why alive? Why not dead? It would be81Please respect copyright.PENANAImPXXSJPMS
easier for Peyton to control the narrative that way.
“You should strike first.”81Please respect copyright.PENANA86y5jbO3d3
Vander ignored the chill traveling down his spine when the voice whispered in81Please respect copyright.PENANAUDuBLsGUwd
his ear. He could always feel the demon trying to take control, even through81Please respect copyright.PENANAewmBRAq6t7
all the mental barriers he had put up to protect himself, but it was only81Please respect copyright.PENANAstBALy6nvM
recently that he could hear him.
“No,” Vander growled. He rolled81Please respect copyright.PENANAAvKqk56hls
the paper up before sticking it into the pocket inside of his jacket. “We can’t81Please respect copyright.PENANA4hj85WdcvB
kill him until I clear my name.”
“Let me take control.”81Please respect copyright.PENANAJpLkcFUEm3
Vander saw the shadows ripple along the wall. Two dark red eyes looked back at81Please respect copyright.PENANAQR5ciC8bj1
him. He turned away, suppressing his fear. He couldn’t give the demon any more81Please respect copyright.PENANA1ipTl1LJjg
power over him, he had already become so strong.
“Begone.” He swiped at the shadows81Please respect copyright.PENANAHtLRFJ8OeX
erasing the eyes from his mind. His head was filled with laughter that slowly81Please respect copyright.PENANAbrynb3EHnU
faded. It was a promise that the demon would return to take control. It was81Please respect copyright.PENANAQa6uU9efkS
getting easier to feel tempted ever since he fled, but he had to stay strong81Please respect copyright.PENANAwpjbTMeUgJ
until he could figure out how to remove him completely.
He took a quick look around but81Please respect copyright.PENANAjmu3khNrRV
didn’t see anything else worth grabbing. He went upstairs to check there, but81Please respect copyright.PENANA1Hu3Ed14T1
he heard footsteps moving around. He froze as he recognized the sounds of heavy81Please respect copyright.PENANA5MEI21c9fp
armor clanging on the wooden floor.
“What the hell happened here?” a81Please respect copyright.PENANAuYyIvTbDy8
guard asked.
“I don’t know, but go get help.”81Please respect copyright.PENANAtthc5pTnpK
Another said. Vander heard him bent down to check the pulses of one of the81Please respect copyright.PENANAGJsOTE4Whn
guards. “They’re dead. We will have to wait for backup.”
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“Understood.” One guard left while81Please respect copyright.PENANA7rILoOaNmo
the other stayed behind. It wasn’t bravery, it was foolishness. You never knew81Please respect copyright.PENANAzkYuW6NdyE
if the culprit was still in the house. Someone who could kill at least two81Please respect copyright.PENANApMWZyWhaWZ
people was not someone you want to be alone with. The guard overestimated his81Please respect copyright.PENANA9Oc6kWukat
abilities and part of Vander wanted to teach the man some hubris, but he wasn’t81Please respect copyright.PENANARbFTU6vmjK
here for them. As quickly and as quietly as he could he stepped away from the81Please respect copyright.PENANAYhrsolXYQj
stairs and down the tunnel.