Chapter 24
Vander hated the rain. It had107Please respect copyright.PENANAIEZV3WGNFX
rained ever since the first night he had fled into the Orange Fox after the107Please respect copyright.PENANAXRJoJRp4Hv
King had been assassinated by Peyton Cranton, but he had taken the fall. He had107Please respect copyright.PENANAbFuANDCeaL
been forced into hiding like a rat while the person who had gotten away with107Please respect copyright.PENANArs3WebvLUA
lived like a King, manipulating everything around him.
The council wasted no time dubbing107Please respect copyright.PENANAXqA0kr1UD9
him a criminal and giving him a bounty of five hundred thousand gold coins for107Please respect copyright.PENANAJXbhG7Y3X5
his capture. Wanted posters had gone up on every corner and every house within107Please respect copyright.PENANAv1CrVBbm50
the outer ring. He was a pariah in his own city. Within the first few days he107Please respect copyright.PENANAlJqqXzRk5D
had decided that he would take matters into his own hands. He would act and107Please respect copyright.PENANA5XrMtLngjJ
gather the evidence he needed to clear his name then bring Peyton to justice.107Please respect copyright.PENANAG8DoFC1CeG
Weeks of careful investigation had brought him here, to a single story house107Please respect copyright.PENANA1XVyqxxgiZ
close to the Northern District.
Rain splashed107Please respect copyright.PENANAWY5KwX1KIu
down around him as lightning crackled above. The hairs on his arm rose due to107Please respect copyright.PENANArbXTNJcw3A
the static in the air. Any wrong move could draw attention to where he was107Please respect copyright.PENANACK3YaUlYQg
hiding, and he did not want Rolous to see him. He held his breath while107Please respect copyright.PENANAeIKreWyahO
stilling his heartbeat hoping against all odds that he would stay unseen. He107Please respect copyright.PENANA9CeK2GsQ87
watched as people ran for cover, but his eyes were focused on one house where107Please respect copyright.PENANAFSYuQsE9nG
his intelligence told him a group of Green Serpents were hiding out. Over the107Please respect copyright.PENANAf5MNk0E387
past several nights he made a mental note of how many people entered the house107Please respect copyright.PENANA8frBo5X2yz
as well as how many had left. Tonight, must have been a special night because107Please respect copyright.PENANAHC3YPUng6i
ten people had gone into a house where only three would normally fit. It was107Please respect copyright.PENANAwQVEl3TM5l
time to move.
The man dropped down from his107Please respect copyright.PENANAEMxIOLJPV0
perch, the roof of the house opposite to his target, and landed on the ground107Please respect copyright.PENANA5nc9sgcFNE
with barely a noise. The shadows clung to him as he crouched then ran his way107Please respect copyright.PENANAEYbte228lG
across the street. Luckily it was dark, and no one would be out on the street107Please respect copyright.PENANAJZNAbIm1m8
this late at night. He didn’t want to have to ruin some poor soul’s night107Please respect copyright.PENANA2t6zgNx9ra
because he was careless. He ran towards the door then placed his ear against107Please respect copyright.PENANAJExPkElpYc
the hoping to hear what was being said.
“We have new orders from Fang,” a107Please respect copyright.PENANAyf3qXNqSBO
woman whispered. She was a few floors down, but with his hearing he had no107Please respect copyright.PENANAXgEZUR1O5o
problem making out what was being said. He had discovered Fang a couple of107Please respect copyright.PENANAl0SgnzftTE
weeks ago during his first raid, but he didn’t know who they were. However, it107Please respect copyright.PENANAzTQ5UpQmFq
seemed as though they gave the orders to the Serpents in the city. They were107Please respect copyright.PENANAYnCp0DwarF
the ones he needed to reach to gain any information.
“What are they?” someone asked.
“Seems as though out benefactor107Please respect copyright.PENANATMKBf4pILv
has told them that we need to capture the missing Blade, Vander, alive.” She107Please respect copyright.PENANAWvB8BPxayS
explained. “We only have a couple of weeks. What should we do?”
He listened as they began107Please respect copyright.PENANAOJTSB73KJd
brainstorming all the way they could find Vander. Some of the ideas were crazy.107Please respect copyright.PENANAgnR7AHHUWM
Someone suggested they go door to door and threaten the lives of everyone107Please respect copyright.PENANAZQKFCBrEBp
inside to see if they knew anything. Another mentioned going to visit Julianna107Please respect copyright.PENANALCmOrezQZt
since the two of them had been close, she might have an idea where he was107Please respect copyright.PENANAWurhz8C0kO
hiding out. A third mentioned going to Ross and paying him for the information.107Please respect copyright.PENANA7XSfFNnx80
Unknown to all inside, that was the only way they would be able to find Vander,107Please respect copyright.PENANAWU7VV0CMOo
but they would never get the chance to find out. He would deal with them right107Please respect copyright.PENANAstmIE0Hd2T
now.
He quickly looked through the107Please respect copyright.PENANAEF6C46SsYp
cracks to find two guards standing there with their backs to the door. Only107Please respect copyright.PENANAJmRh8Sh7iv
novices wouldn’t be outside to guard the door, even if they didn’t want to draw107Please respect copyright.PENANAwKn8ZwFleb
attention to themselves. This was foolish, so he decided to teach them a107Please respect copyright.PENANAhFhpPVACXM
lesson.
He carefully walked away from the107Please respect copyright.PENANAJvhw8Kv0yf
door then steeled himself as he charged forward. He shoulders check the door107Please respect copyright.PENANAsqtVHu5hcL
causing it to fly off its hinges. Normally people would have shattered their107Please respect copyright.PENANA9MSnRYK9Fq
shoulders, but he wasn’t normal. He was blessed with the powers of Unna and the107Please respect copyright.PENANAwIHaclumR3
demon inside craved blood.
“Intru…” One of the guards shouted107Please respect copyright.PENANABGN3I2BtDu
out, but he didn’t get far. Vander shoved a dagger in his neck silencing him107Please respect copyright.PENANAlTHYvCy6Xs
almost immediately. The other guard didn’t have time to draw their sword before107Please respect copyright.PENANAQZaQeIeei4
Vander was upon him tearing out his neck with bare hands. As blood dripped down107Please respect copyright.PENANArcci8ZuoM2
from the cartilage, Vander threw it at the next person who came up the stairs107Please respect copyright.PENANAkj3GZ4wetD
that had been dug through the floor. They cried out as blood splattered their107Please respect copyright.PENANAXWCKwz6Wdy
eyes, but they wouldn’t have the chance to wipe it off. Vander jumped, kicking107Please respect copyright.PENANAcYLyqLXUit
him down the stairs, sending them both into the darkness below.
He landed on the blinded man’s107Please respect copyright.PENANAp4ZTvQLkk1
chest. He heard the satisfying crunch as bone shattered, breaking his back. Vander107Please respect copyright.PENANASWvol8OrKS
heard the heart stop beating as the final breath left the man’s body. Vander107Please respect copyright.PENANA4srx1uoUAQ
looked up at the Serpents who looked shocked, but it would wear sooner rather107Please respect copyright.PENANAx1Kly2fcWI
than later. He was lucky that they had cornered themselves into a very small107Please respect copyright.PENANA4Wxz4Fw8zE
room or this would have gone badly.
“Damn it.” The female speaker drew107Please respect copyright.PENANAjQi17EQ8ol
her sword. “It’s him. Don’t just stand there, kill him!”
Vander lunged forward grabbing the107Please respect copyright.PENANAI38wpEjvnV
closest person’s face then slamming them against the wall. He quickly removed107Please respect copyright.PENANAmlySOIIWX5
his dagger, gave three quick stabs in his chest, before tossing him into107Please respect copyright.PENANAtwMBk0UWB9
someone else. The two bodies collided then fell onto the ground. He ducked as107Please respect copyright.PENANAGR8dDYmUI8
the female swung her sword at his head. The sword collided with a wooden shelf,107Please respect copyright.PENANADVnoa1UCZk
but she pulled it out rather effortlessly. He jumped forward, but she was107Please respect copyright.PENANAwxEOkwmXJx
waiting for him. She dropped the sword then met him head on.
She was stronger than she looked.107Please respect copyright.PENANAg9hB5OwpeW
She grabbed him by the shoulders and started to walk forward. He could feel his107Please respect copyright.PENANAL1U93AnSC4
feet dragging backwards. She grinned at him, then taunted him by calling him107Please respect copyright.PENANAfVklg7VJvE
weak and a pushover. The demon couldn’t stand being belittled so it whispered107Please respect copyright.PENANADWaIol94y8
into Vander’s ear telling him to tear her throat out. He ignored the whisper.107Please respect copyright.PENANAIploO7qYly
Instead, he grabbed her then pulled her towards him knocking her off balance.107Please respect copyright.PENANAfgRKzqLjSc
He fell backwards, bringing his foot up into her stomach, then threw her over107Please respect copyright.PENANA7IBgyEXoK8
his head. She landed on the man Vander had previously knocked over.
“Bastard.” A sword swung down107Please respect copyright.PENANAMT4TAQhTOh
aiming to split Vander in half. He brought his hands up clapping down on the107Please respect copyright.PENANAgq4fi7xV7g
weapon. He felt the edge bite into the palms of his hand, but the gift he had107Please respect copyright.PENANAQhh7gH89TA
would heal them with minimal scaring. Vander’s leg lashed out at the fingers107Please respect copyright.PENANAkyVOJENBEj
holding the sword. He heard a satisfying crunch followed by a scream as the man107Please respect copyright.PENANAc2YYmRWURs
stumbled backwards holding his broken fingers.
Vander spun to his feet then swung107Please respect copyright.PENANAeaxcvxfRUC
the sword hilt into the man’s jaw. He involuntarily spun around as pieces of107Please respect copyright.PENANAvIPqmBtj6A
teeth flew from his mouth clattering onto the ground. He fell to his knees107Please respect copyright.PENANAdJmKSSTCub
clutching his mouth as blood flowed freely between his mangled fingers.
He quickly surveyed the scene107Please respect copyright.PENANAGNdfa36qCI
around him. Two were still trying to get to their feet, four had been killed,107Please respect copyright.PENANAw9IcI7Zez3
and one was out of commission for the time being. That left three unaccounted107Please respect copyright.PENANAZk6c2yvCvX
for. He could see them downstairs, but there was nowhere else they could have107Please respect copyright.PENANAgRwl6Fs3pw
gone unless there was another hidden path leading out of the house towards the107Please respect copyright.PENANA0hOftR7KF9
streets of Eluvia. He would have to see where the path led, but first he had to107Please respect copyright.PENANAGZ5t8UwVWo
deal with the survivors.
Vander flipped the sword around107Please respect copyright.PENANAzTRea0jg2n
catching it out of midair. The man with the broken jaw didn’t put up a fight as107Please respect copyright.PENANAJSsQdan4HV
he shoved the tip through the man’s neck. Blood gurgled from his mouth as107Please respect copyright.PENANAZkOPOWrBMZ
saliva and blood blended. Vander kicked the sword free ignoring as his enemy107Please respect copyright.PENANAW03zm7CJlw
drowned in his own blood.
The two made it to their feet, but107Please respect copyright.PENANAB31Zu4li6S
they looked nervously at each other as they looked over the carnage surrounding107Please respect copyright.PENANAYCMHNncGjo
them. He had only been down here for a few minutes, but five of them were107Please respect copyright.PENANA6eBoHpmLGp
already dead. It didn’t bode well for them, but they would have been a disgrace107Please respect copyright.PENANACjTKO7rnli
to their reputation if they surrendered. The two of them exchanged glances107Please respect copyright.PENANA95bYzlGXAR
before charging Vander.
He brought his sword up to block a107Please respect copyright.PENANAWXtuQiJJey
strike then kicked the other person away from him. He lunged to the side making107Please respect copyright.PENANAFl1bOZz4KQ
sure to keep both of his enemies either next to or in front of each other. They107Please respect copyright.PENANAtKqGsABNqy
were hesitant to attack while their partner was on the way, which made his job107Please respect copyright.PENANATzUEENjI78
a lot easier. As he blocked another sword strike, he grabbed a dagger from his107Please respect copyright.PENANACBJ5cmFvGg
belt and shoved it through her wrists sticking them together. She dropped the107Please respect copyright.PENANAX1YqFfsQps
sword as she screamed in pain. He removed the dagger then jammed it through the107Please respect copyright.PENANAFaCvmompR9
top of her head. Her eyes rolled back as she slumped over, dead.
As the last Serpent screamed,107Please respect copyright.PENANArHBlnmdlnn
Vander spun around and thrust the sword through the space between his arm and107Please respect copyright.PENANAUzBWc1dW4T
ribs skewering the Serpent on the Blade. Something wet and sticky hit Vander’s107Please respect copyright.PENANA1xWO1SII5K
back as the body fell into him. Sighing to himself, Vander removed the weapon107Please respect copyright.PENANATwN0vzFXmj
from his enemy’s chest and stepped out from underneath him. The body hit the107Please respect copyright.PENANApdJo2xEwMK
ground with a splat. Now that there was no one around him posing a threat to107Please respect copyright.PENANAP9qSOqqvBe
his safety he decided to look around.
Stepping over the fresh bodies, he107Please respect copyright.PENANAjk2NS7IAma
started his search at the table they were hovering around when he entered.107Please respect copyright.PENANAwSpOzOdjmL
There was a smoothed out scroll lying there that seemed to have been undamaged107Please respect copyright.PENANAPDB4BkZyR6
despite all the blood and fighting. He carefully picked it up to read the107Please respect copyright.PENANA1thMOIH3gb
contents in the low light of the candles. He wasn’t surprised at all when the107Please respect copyright.PENANAkgjUHqD5hd
contents were just as he overheard. Someone wanted him brought to them alive.107Please respect copyright.PENANArQFrSmKijy
He could only think of one person, by why alive? Why not dead? It would be107Please respect copyright.PENANAsSfdC9WwoI
easier for Peyton to control the narrative that way.
“You should strike first.”107Please respect copyright.PENANAq5q3mowgjZ
Vander ignored the chill traveling down his spine when the voice whispered in107Please respect copyright.PENANAfC3cKOqchM
his ear. He could always feel the demon trying to take control, even through107Please respect copyright.PENANAHdKuRbEK9A
all the mental barriers he had put up to protect himself, but it was only107Please respect copyright.PENANAKSJE5CICU2
recently that he could hear him.
“No,” Vander growled. He rolled107Please respect copyright.PENANAZltxKAC7OJ
the paper up before sticking it into the pocket inside of his jacket. “We can’t107Please respect copyright.PENANAiVJ4p9WmZE
kill him until I clear my name.”
“Let me take control.”107Please respect copyright.PENANAwP18Ff0sJ2
Vander saw the shadows ripple along the wall. Two dark red eyes looked back at107Please respect copyright.PENANAAoIhl7riv1
him. He turned away, suppressing his fear. He couldn’t give the demon any more107Please respect copyright.PENANAOs4I6sw0UY
power over him, he had already become so strong.
“Begone.” He swiped at the shadows107Please respect copyright.PENANAaGulBOjGIf
erasing the eyes from his mind. His head was filled with laughter that slowly107Please respect copyright.PENANAbJG2tvvzbi
faded. It was a promise that the demon would return to take control. It was107Please respect copyright.PENANAIDnoOQuaQu
getting easier to feel tempted ever since he fled, but he had to stay strong107Please respect copyright.PENANAuOf7x8WYDa
until he could figure out how to remove him completely.
He took a quick look around but107Please respect copyright.PENANAacSNzgLaXH
didn’t see anything else worth grabbing. He went upstairs to check there, but107Please respect copyright.PENANA45OL7o3t4V
he heard footsteps moving around. He froze as he recognized the sounds of heavy107Please respect copyright.PENANAi75053Hehm
armor clanging on the wooden floor.
“What the hell happened here?” a107Please respect copyright.PENANAf2HaN1OaCw
guard asked.
“I don’t know, but go get help.”107Please respect copyright.PENANAuKKzEdJhWr
Another said. Vander heard him bent down to check the pulses of one of the107Please respect copyright.PENANAj8huIN1P0l
guards. “They’re dead. We will have to wait for backup.”
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“Understood.” One guard left while107Please respect copyright.PENANANPW5jorbSr
the other stayed behind. It wasn’t bravery, it was foolishness. You never knew107Please respect copyright.PENANAOoSQk0ntys
if the culprit was still in the house. Someone who could kill at least two107Please respect copyright.PENANAMQwFOlKAi7
people was not someone you want to be alone with. The guard overestimated his107Please respect copyright.PENANATBv4FVibgy
abilities and part of Vander wanted to teach the man some hubris, but he wasn’t107Please respect copyright.PENANAonRZjljEvr
here for them. As quickly and as quietly as he could he stepped away from the107Please respect copyright.PENANAqipCLz3nKS
stairs and down the tunnel.